questions. As soon as there began to be in China a revolutionary party
aiming at the overthrow of the Manchus, the Japanese supported it. They
have continuously supported either or both sides in Chinese dissensions,
as they judged most useful for prolonging civil war and weakening China
politically. Before the revolution of 1911, Sun Yat Sen was several
times in Japan, and there is evidence that as early as 1900 he was
obtaining financial support from some Japanese.[61] When the revolution
actually broke out, Japan endeavoured to support the Manchus, but was
prevented from doing so effectively by the other Legations. It seems
that the policy of Japan at that time, as later, was to prevent the
union of North and South, and to confine the revolution to the South.
Moreover, reverence for monarchy made Japan unwilling to see the Emperor
of China dispossessed and his whole country turned into a Republic,
though it would have been agreeable to see him weakened by the loss of
some southern provinces. Mr. Pooley gives a good account of the actions
of Japan during the Chinese Revolution, of which the following quotation
gives the gist[62]:--

It [the Genro] commenced with a statement from Prince Katsura on
December 18th [1911], that the time for intervention had arrived,
with the usual rider "for the sake of the peace of the Far East."
This was followed by a private instruction to M. Ijuin, Japanese
Minister in Peking, whereunder the latter on December 23rd
categorically informed Yuan-shi-kai that under no circumstances
would Japan recognize a republican form of government in
China.... In connection with the peace conference held at
Shanghai, Mr. Matsui (now Japanese Ambassador to France), a
trusted Councillor of the Foreign Office, was dispatched to
Peking to back M. Ijuin in the negotiations to uphold the
dynasty. Simultaneously, Mr. Denison, Legal Adviser to the
Japanese Foreign Office, was sent to Shanghai to negotiate with
the rebel leaders. Mr. Matsui's mission was to bargain for
Japanese support of the Manchus against the rebels, Manchuria
against the throne; Mr. Denison's mission was to bargain for
Japanese support of the rebels against the throne, recognition by
Peking of the Southern Republic against virtually a Japanese
protectorate of that Republic and exclusive railway and mining
concessions within its borders. The