T HE news from Japan this week, which, remember, is sharply
censored, has been a little contradictory, and nothing definitive has occurred. On Tuesday matters looked black, for a telegram reached the Times stating that the 'Chinese Minister in Tokio, at the request of the Japanese Foreign Office, had informed his own Government that the Russian answer could not be accepted by Japan, and that unless Russia receded "Japan must promptly resort to arms." On Wednesday and Thursday, however, this was partly ex- plained away, the Elder Statesmen of Tokio having advised the Mikado, by a civil answer to St. Petersburg, to give the Czar one more chance of receding from his position. The Japanese reply has accordingly been described by Viscount Hayashi as " in no sense an ultimatum," and as being in tone "pacific, but perfectly firm." Japan adheres to her original position with regard to Korea, and reaffirms the need for full recognition of China's sovereignty in Manchuria. This 'further delay, which may very well be due to the desire in Japan to rescue the two new cruisers now passing from the Canal into the Red Sea, created an immediate suspicion in Paris and Berlin that Japan was "weakening," and a hope that terms would be found which would at all events postpone the war for months. For reasons stated elsewhere, we regard that optimist view as ill-founded ; but there is undoubtedly a momentary lull,—which may be prolonged by the Czar's pacific assurances to the Japanese Ambassador at his New Year's Day reception at St. Petersburg on Thursday.
