JAPANESE ENTRY INTO THE WORLD WAR

THE ANGLO-JAPANESE ALLIANCE AND THE WORLD WAR

THE INITIATIVE for the Japanese entry into the World War was taken by the cabinet. Thus during the closing days of July, 1914, numerous exchanges of views were made between Tokyo and London regarding the steps to be taken by Japan under the stipulations of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, should Great Britain be drawn into the war.1 By the afternoon of August 3 (Tokyo), British entrance into the war became imminent, and immediately upon receipt of such information, an extraordinary meeting of the cabinet was called at 9 o’clock the following morning (August 4), when the foreign minister explained in detail the diplomatic situation in Europe, and the navy and war ministers made some observations. While the cabinet was still in session, the British ambassador transmitted an important telegram from London. Immediately after the meeting, the Foreign Office issued a statement, intimating that Japan might be called upon to take appropriate measures under the terms of the alliance.2 In the afternoon of August 5 the British ambassador called on the Foreign Office and conferred with Count Kato regarding an important telegram just received from London.3 The War and Navy departments became suddenly active, and numerous

1 Kenkichi Ichijima (ed.), Okumako Hachijugonenshi (Tokyo, 1926), III, 167-168. On Aug. 2, Premier Okuma was received in audience by the emperor at the detached palace at Nikko to report on the Austro-Serbian conflict (Tokyo Asahi, Aug. 3, 1914, p. 3). On the following day, Foreign Minister Komei Kato sent a detailed report to the emperor on the European situation based upon the reports received from Japanese ambassadors in European capitals (ibid., Aug. 4, 1914, p. 3).