GRAND OLD MAN OF JAPAN

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2783, 30 May 1916, Page 6

GRAND OLD MAN OF JAPAN

COUNT OKUMA RETIRING

SKETCH OF HIS CAREER

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright • -(Rec. May ;29,: 8.50 p.m.) ' ' Tokio, : itay 29. ,; ; Coimt Okuma (the Premier) has announced his early retirement, baron L'ato is likely:.to beoprae Premier.: '

interesting sketch of Count! Okuma, -7 the Grand Old Man of Japan, appeared ' in/.the "American Outlook" in, May, 1914, shortly after the veteran, statesman's ie. ■ appearance as Premier in his 77th. year : or years past Count .Okuma has been ; a. kind of general' adviser to the Japanese 'people; ■; a .'candid friend who has never : "hesitated to. point out their mistakes or .ythe'- mistakes .of the Government; ■ whose . ' position has b3en so secure in the interest - . and 'affection of the-country that', lie has ; ' constituted a party by himself. !'o tile visitor from the "West -he is perhaps the most interesting.personality in the' -'apanese Empire. Alt Oriental by temperament, • instinct, and training, he is a thoroughly ■ modern man, in his recognition of modern conditions, his clear-sighted perceptions of what Japan must-do in her self-develop-:"merit, and his strong .sympathy with tho movement for the greater authority of tho people in determining the policies of the Government. He is of the Samurai class. Count. Okuma was horn in tho south, but he belongs to neither-of the ; 'gTeait clans which have furnished so many leaders tc modern' Japan. He in not' in any sense a.clan man;.-ihe fact that he is outside the ' Satsuma and Choshu groups of leaders has given hima oertain political: isolation and has at ' .the'same time deepened his influence with. 7 the;people of the country. His.mother l ■was a woman of notable character and intellect, for whom he has always sliown a very beautiful devotion. When he was a young man, in the restoration period, ; .tis.'popalar. sympathies -were already et- ■ pressed. ;'He strongly advocated the' aboli- ' tion' of the : old feudal i system . and tlia restablishment of constitutionalism. When • "the ..Government - was -reorganised under , 'Aho'Empejori he-entered tho Department Affairs. Prom ' 1873 to 1833, ' first as. Vioe-Minister and tlien' as Minisiterj'he!managed the finances of.the country.. His failure to. persuade the Govern"ihent -to introduce 1 the representative, system led to his resignation' and to the formation -of the - Progressive; Party,- the "ibierunrier of the. present National Party, lin 1883, the year preceding the promul- - t gation of ,;the Constitution. ,ho - became . ;j\Uiiisti- of Foreign Affairs, and it fell to him to secure the revision of the old treaties which were-made with the; great Powers after- the opening of the wuntry .sid in. which the Japanese were - denied " certain very.important, rights. ,In securing ■ the revision and modification of these treaties he greatly advanoed the position of Japan, .and at the same time exposed himself to an animosity;at home which expressed itself by an attempted assassina- • tion. A bomb was thrown into his carnage as he was approaching his office, and his life was ' saved only by 'the - amputation of a . leg. Ten Tears later, he became Prime Minister and.organised a Coalition Cab'met,' adding to his duties those of these Minister of Foreign Affairs.. Since . the fill of that Ministry, he has maintained .his position us the most influential publie man in Japan outside the , field of .'practical nolitics. .-. Baron Kato was a former Ambassador to Great Britain, and waa Count Okuma-'a personal, secretary when , his chief waa Foreign Miivister. Later. he trans- " ferTed to the Finance Office, tut 'subsequently, reverted to the administration of foreign affaira. •.