JAPANESE POLITICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 256, 19 March 1913, Page 8

JAPANESE POLITICS.

| : JAPAN'S DILEMMA. > ' The ' recent Governmental crisis in Japan was the'result' of a' difference of opinion concerning the expediency of strengthening the Japanese ur'my. The sympathies of the nation in this govern* mental'struggle are stated to be with' the anti-military' party. The people, or most of them, say, "tVhy should the strength of the army he'increased when We can 'bitrely" support the large army that we'already have? We don't want to' go to witx with aiivhody,' and there is' little danger tlmt.atijrbodv will attack us. We are now paying from 15 to 25 ]iei- cent, of oitr gross incomes in taxes; the c6st of living is steadily increasing, and the poorer classes can hardly make ends meet' even with the ■greatest possible industry and economy. Six rears; have.elapsed' sinCe the close of the Russian''war,! and we are still paying war taxfe.' National expenditure should he. reduced, not increased, and, for purposes 'of .'defence;, our present army is large, ehougli. Why spend millions of yen in ,tlie organisation of Wo.more divisions?" ' ' the' Japanese Minister of War and the mllitarf i)ai l ty, oh the' 'other hand, see, looming oil the northern horizon, dan- • 'jfeVs;"or at least possibilities, of which, 1 the people generally are ignorant, or un- ; .Wvhseimis:" "Ru'sSia has pfaeticaily finished ! the double-tracking of her trans-Siberian : TWil-\\' : ay;"i>n<l now has two lines of eom- ' munie'atiou from the Urals to eastern ' Asia'. She will also complete, in the near future, her new Amur railway, ■ which will srreat.lv strengthen her position on the trontier of Korea. Her attitude toward Mongolia shows that she has not abandoned her policy of territorial exapnsion in Asia, and if she escapes embroilment in the Xcar East, and does not have to fight for her interests m the Balkans, there is every reason to assume that she will turn her attention once more to the Far East, and again threaten China or Kore?, or I both.