JAPAN.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3106, 31 January 1879, Page 2

JAPAN.

(OWN COBBEWO^OT^OFf KWJis AGENCY.) Yokomahana, November 30. The question of an entire change in the presents forni; off governments and place tKe'eststbiishment'of p*opular*repfesentationv is assuming Tw^jaefyjupiportance; bur there i 8 considerable divergence of opinion as to what should, be the nature of the elective qualification. Someoftnet returned students from America and i Europe are in favor of pretty nearjy f pure manhood suffrage, but .the4mdre Gonaervative Japanese are advocates of a high educationaranid property telt. The proposed reforms do not find favor with the leading members of the Mikado's Government. r .Some,.are* in. favor of absolute rejection of any scheme of^reform. The. Mikado has , just returned to Tokio,'after>a: prolonged tour in ?the. [IcoA vinceß, t where. Y he was,well receive 4, and His Majesty ''may he^congratulated oh the genuine loyalty displayed athis return in safety. It -Was,, hoped; that on his return many importabt changesHn the personnel of his MiniStera would'have beeri;made; but as yet there has been no announcement.

The epidemic of cholera winch"raged in parts ,otf Japan last year has forced upon the Government 1 the; necessity OX establishing quarantine or some system of preventing the, introduction 'of ' disease from foreign countries; ! In'the meantime Government hare opened an institution near Yokohama, where: suspected vessels will be subjected to examination, and if necessary disinfection.' >-^ ';<■;!, ' The Japanese Government have authorised the issue by a Japanese publisher of an edition of, the Book of Genesis in Chinese/ prepared .for'the ;Japa||^^|^y the American JBible Society. This is the first authorised portion of the Scriptures published in Japan. . t , , , At Tokio a new associationhasi been' formed' under 1 the patronage of some lead? ing men. It is called^the Patriotio Prohibitive Society, and its object is to arrest in this country the consumption of all

foreign products, whatever be their quality and however good the market from which they may be procured. All the members have pledged their honor in solemn manner, not to make use of these productions under any pretext, and to use their utmost influence with the authorities to prevent their introduction into the country.

The right of resorting to torture to compelled accused persons to confess their crimes, or to accellerate the evidence of refractory witnesses, is still recognised Jby~ the^XlodeSj" :s and,, wMle^prjopgnj, recognise the wisdom of abolishing practices which-have failed eljrewhere, still it fieems they are under the impression that Would be inexpedient under the .condition■ now ruling iii'Ja'pa&t \ The "danger or "hostilities "between™ Japanl and iK^rea ■; is becQmipg|intaMnon|.*> In 1876 the |wos nationj| cdncluaedyiif treaty of amity commerce.,and aoou after a trading station was established at £use^sS?Sk KoreaiE authorities; rOTadiogcjthfrrttipia^ tions of the treaty o£iiß76, levied taxes to the anldttot'Ofi 30>perifleiite ]^,n7»][li l f pp^s passing into the interior from Japanese settlements produce sold to Japatofle. The settlers thus finding their business interrupted hit c madfr demons tratioiig, iaffd; app#»led to the Japanese Government for protec* tiohVand7n"c6nsequ6nce thrHiyerSiu;'" Few^daji ||^yr|w^l^§ecre|uy of Ws* ForeigntDeparnneiiK * Tie result 6t -nif mission will''be iwatcKed(With much