[EDITOR’S NOTE: MARQUIS Ito, the senior Japanese statesman, visited Russia in November 1901 on a personal journey which turned out to include high-level talks with top statesmen, Foreign Minister Lamsdorf and Finance Minister Count Witte. He takes up a Russian proposal mooted the previous year that the two countries should sign a pact for the neutralization of Korea. Japan was opposed to Russia having any say in Korean affairs but wanted to see what compromise could be struck. Witte said he was not a diplomat and was not directly responsible for eastern questions. But was in regular touch with the Tsar and Lamsdorf. On 3 December Ito visited Witte who explained Russia’s position in his usual blunt way.]

Witte: Your country has always had considerable interests in Korea, mine has none. I have no objection to your people emigrating there. But while Russia has no need to occupy Korea, it could not look on with arms folded if Japan occupied the peninsula…. Under the present agreement [of 1898] there is an understanding which, while fully respecting Japan’s true interests, established regulations for Japan and Russia keeping equal garrisons there. One wonders if one can avoid mutual misunderstanding if that equality were lost….

To look at the Korean problem in the context of the oriental situation as a whole, our country does not want to extend its territories in the far east. Our lands are already big enough. Our government is quite strong financially but so weak in social provision that it is now time to set our house in order in a big way. We have just declared to the world that we will withdraw from Manchuria without fail. In this country as in yours there must be those who declare that we must capture the whole world. In our Navy and Army there are many who have such ambitions. But our Government and Emperor do not think thus. Should a dispute arise, I as Finance Minister would robustly oppose such measures. Such action is more than Russia could bear financially and it would in any case be less desirable than getting the Chinese to control the area while we possess only economic interests there.