Mr. Kennedy to the Marquis of Salisbury.―(Received May 8)

(No. 55 Confidential)
Yedo, March 25, 1880

My Lord,

WITH reference to my despatch No. 52, Confidential, of the 14th instant, I have the honour to inform your Lordship that the Minister for Foreign Affairs to-day assured me emphatically, and authorized me to assure your Lordship, that Japan would remain neutral in the event of war between China and Russia.
His Excellency stated that Japan could have no inducement to go to war with China, and many reasons made it expedient for Japan to remain quiet.
In the first place, Japan had no wish to possess either Formosa, or Corea, or Saghalien, as had been reported. She was not prepared for war and besides these reasons she had on hand the Treaty revision question, and the agitation for popular representative institutions, which gave no little trouble to the present Government. This latter question alone would suffice to prevent Japan going to war.
In Europe, remarked his Excellency, Governments are reported to have plunged their country into war in order to divert the attention of their countrymen from domestic grievances, and, by an appeal to patriotism, have joined opposing parties into an united force against the foreign enemy; but the Japanese, said his Excellency, cannot be thus influenced.
As soon as this country became involved in difficulties, or in war with another country, the agitators for representative government would avail themselves of the opportunity to press their demands.
Mr. Inouyé, after arguing against the probability of war between China and Russia, again assured me that by no promises could Russia induce Japan to join her. Japan, said his Excellency, by a careful avoidance of any attempt to profit by the difficulties of China, would obtain from the latter a favourable settlement of the Loochoo question, and an assurance of increased friendship for the future.
In concluding his remarks, Mr. Inouyé said that the Japanese Charge d’Affaires in Peking had reported the presentation to Chung How of the white silken cord, which signified the infliction of capital punishment, and that all the foreign Representatives, excepting those of Russia and Japan, had protested against such a severe sentence.
This conduct of the Japanese Representative had been approved, because Japan and China had bound themselves by Treaty not to interfere in the internal affairs of each other.

I have, &c.
(Signed) J. G. KENNEDY