ABSTRACT
The drama of Itō's visit to St Petersburg concealed what must be described as the first Russo-Japanese top-level talks. Although the talks were a disappointment to both sides, they were an earnest that both sides wanted to preserve the peace and realized that there was a risk of its being broken. The Russians emerged from the talks unsure of themselves and, when the Anglo-Japanese alliance was announced, rather bruised. They chose to interpret Itō's visit as part of the Japanese 'alliance strategy' — which it was not — rather than the action of one of the opinion-forming groups off its own bat — which it was. Itō was displeased with the Russians who had not conceded the Japanese case over Korea and also with Katsura in Tokyo who had begun to take a new and tougher line over Manchuria while Itō was in Europe. But he was a wise enough statesman to know that he could not expect to attain his object at his first attempt.
