Chargé Wilson to the Secretary of State.

No. 463.]

Sir: I have the honor to inform you that the Marquis Saionji, minister president of state, returned the evening of the 14th instant from the tour in Manchuria upon which, as reported in the legation’s dispatch No. 440 of April 16, his excellency started on the 14th of that month, accompanied by a body of officials, with the object of investigating conditions in Manchuria.

Since the Marquis Saionji returned, an important council of statesmen has been held at the palace, at which the position of the Government with reference to Manchuria is understood to have been determined and which is said to have resulted in overcoming to a great extent the objections of the military and vindicating the policy of the “open door.”

The conclusions reached at the council have been reflected in the press by articles unanimously pointing toward a more liberal course. [Page 191] The Nichi Nichi Shimbun, an organ of considerable authority, summarizes the Government’s intentions as follows:

(1)
To respect the sovereignty of China, to carry out the principle of equal opportunity, and to develop the resources of Manchuria.
(2)
To avoid a display of military force and to take measures to acquaint the people of Manchuria with Japan’s sincerity of purpose.
(3)
To take the utmost care not to give any cause of offense to southern China on account of Japan’s Manchurian policy nor any occasion for agitation for the purpose of recovering concessions, et cetera.

Up to the present it has been impossible to obtain any assurances as to the date when the leased territory of the Kwantung Peninsula will be thrown open to foreigners and consular officers will be received at Dalny.

I have, etc.,

Huntington Wilson.