ABSTRACT
The Soviet-Japanese convention also directly undermined the Open Door Policy’s goal of protecting China from being partitioned by competing foreign powers. The final step in this intricate process was leveraging the Soviet Union’s enhanced position in Manchuria to force Japan into negotiations that tacitly redivided Manchuria into Japanese and Soviet spheres of influence. Tokyo reluctantly agreed to carry out secret negotiations with Moscow. In addition to insisting that the Portsmouth Peace Treaty be recognized by both countries, Yoshizawa also made two further proposals intended to guarantee Japan’s sphere of influence in China. The Governments of the High Contracting Parties agree that upon the coming into force of the present Convention, they shall proceed to the revision of the Fishery Convention of 1907, taking into consideration such changes as may have taken place in the general conditions since the conclusion of the said Fishery Convention.
