The Terauchi Cabinet and Nishihara Kamezo: The Early Stage of the Cabinet's China Policy

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Other Title
  • 寺内内閣と西原亀三-対中国政策の初期段階-
  • テラウチ ナイカク ト ニシ ゲンカメサン ツイ チュウゴク セイサク ノ シ
  • Informal Channels in Japanese Diplomacy
  • 日本外交の非正式チャンネル

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Abstract

General Terauchi Masatake's Cabinet, formed in October 1916, sought to strengthen and exert control over the still feeble Tuan Ch'i-jui government in Peking through large-scale financial loans—the idea which the general's personal confident, Nishihara Kamezo, had envisaged for some time. Nishihara, consultant to the Seoul Chamber of Commerce in Japanese-occupied. Korea, became highly influential in Tokyo's political circles through his friendship established in Seoul with Terauchi and Shoda Kazue, both Governor-Generals of Korea at different times.<br>Because of the personal confidence of Terauchi, who became the prime minister, and Shoda, the finance minister in Terauchi's Cabinet, he was able to act as an effective emissary to negotiate for the so-called Nishihara Loan by way of establishing a Bank of Transportation in China. Nishihara succeeded through informal channels, different. from the formal ones used by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Tuan government, suffering from financial difficulties, welcomed the funds.<br>The Terauchi Cabinet further attempted to induce the Tuan government to join the allies and declare war against Germany. This was difficult as such a formal request to Tuan would prompt further loan requests as a condition. Skillful maneuvering was required to avoid such an occurrence. Nishihara, again as Terauchi's emissary, successfully helped accomplish this delicate task. This time he cooperated with the Foreign Ministry in using informal channels earlier established for intelligence-gathering purposes by the Imperial Army's General Staff Office.<br>In delicate international situations, the Tuan and Terauchi governments wanted to avoid giving the other major powers the impression that they were conducting official negotiations on the issues mentioned above. There lay the role of informal contact-makers, which both sides found useful and desirable. Being in a unique position as Terauchi's trusted confident, Nishihara, who had no official position, played a significant role in promoting Japanese political interests in China in the late 1910s.

Journal

  • International Relations

    International Relations 1983 (75), 12-29,L6, 1983-10-20

    JAPAN ASSOCIATION OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

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