Page:Japan by the Japanese (1904).djvu/63
suka of Awa, had unanimously come to the conclusion that the existence of feudalism weakened the elasticity of the whole nation and impeded its progress. Consequently, they unanimously appealed to the Emperor to abolish the feudal system. The Imperial decree to this effect was issued in 1871 (4th year of Meiji), and put an end to the distinction of the military class over all others at the same time.
2. The foreign policy of the new Government was determined by the Imperial decree of 1868 (1st year of Meiji), and Japan entered into international relationships. The abolition of the existence of the extraterritorial jurisdiction in Japan, which for long had been the object of discontent to the entire nation, was one of the principal objects of the new Government, the disagreeable abuses of such jurisdiction having produced several fanatic attempts on the part of the people against foreigners, both before and after the Restoration. The negotiations for the revision of the old treaties with the United States of America were first entered upon in 1871 (4th year of Meiji), when the present Emperor was pleased to send his first Special Mission to all the treaty Powers of Europe and America. These negotiations with other Powers continued through a long series of years, until the revised treaty on an equal footing was first signed between Japan and Great Britain in 1894 (on the 16th day of the 7th month of the 27th year of Meiji), and successively between the other nations of Europe and America, with the exception of Mexico, with which country the treaty already existing since 1888 (21st year of Meiji) was on an equal footing. This action of the British Government was the beginning of those relations between Japan and Great Britain which have developed into those of a nation amie et alliée.
3. Since Japan’s experience with the old Spanish and Portuguese missionaries, the propagation of the Christian religion was strictly prohibited until 1872 (5th year of Meiji), when it was tolerated for the first time. Missionaries came in succession from several countries, and established churches and schools. Many people became converts, but many of the missionaries did not understand the well-known saying, ‘At Rome do as Rome does,’ and the consequence was that its assimilation was retarded by their inadaptability. The perfect freedom of religious belief is now assured by Article 28 of the Constitution, yet the greater part of the educated classes do not appreciate the missionaries in general, and this lack of sympathy must necessarily greatly influence the future development of the Christian religion in Japan.