cial immorality, and the prevalence of untruthfulness
among the Japanese with whom he did business. And in other directions
too there were criticisms passed upon Japanese manners and customs,
and many of these were condemned and denounced as immoral or wicked
very often for no better reason than that they differed from those
that obtained in Europe. However much or little ground there may have
been for these charges against the Japanese people, I am not now
concerned to discuss. One thing I will remark--that the Japanese
possess two religions which, whatever their effects and no matter to
what extent superstition may have been engrafted on them, have always
held up a high moral standard. And if one dips even cursorily into the
writings of the ethical teachers of Japan in the past, we invariably
find the inculcation of an exalted standard of morals. Indeed, the
practice of the Japanese people at the present time, as in all times
in regard to the relations between parents and children, of wife to
husband, of the people to the State, have been beyond criticism. In
these matters Western nations have much to learn from them. Since the
opening of the country to Europe, the Japanese Government has shown
itself alive to European criticism on many points. It has effectually
stamped out phallic worship; it has, in deference to European
susceptibilities, abolished mixed bathing in the public wash-houses;
and in various other ways it has striven in the direction of raising
the standard of moral conduct throughout the country. That it has not
attempted to put down prostitution, but, on the contrary, has
recognised and regulated it, has been made a charge against it. The
Japanese Government has most likely come to the conclusion that
prostitution cannot be put down, and such being the case it has
decided that, with a view of obviating those evils which are the
outcome of it, the only alternative is to regulate it. I admit that in
an ideal state of existence prostitution would not exist, but no
country in the world has yet reached or approximated that ideal state.
The evil of prostitution is just as flagrant in Europe as in the East,
but Japan so far alone among the Great Powers of the world has seen
fit to tackle this difficult and delicate matter, and to some extent
regulate it. That her rulers look forward to the time when the
Yoshiwara shall have ceased to exist I firmly believe, and I am
convinced that they mean to do everything p