PRESENT INTERESTS OF JAPAN. 327 



overshadowing immediate importance of the seal questions. And in the meantime 

 the negotiations in Loudon concerning the latter, which came so near being terminated 

 favorably, collapsed suddenly upon the imperious demand of Canada. 



THE PRESENT INTERESTS OF JAPAN AND THE POSITION OF HER GOVERNMENT. 



From what is shown in this report it is plain that Japan's interest in the fur-seal 

 question is materially changed since she first signified her willingness to join in an 

 international agreement for their protection. In 1887 she had yet hopes of saving the 

 rookeries in the Kurils and she had absolutely no interest in pelagic sealing, which 

 was not yet thought of in Asiatic waters. Now all that is changed. Japan knows 

 that she has no fur-seal rookeries any more, and many of her subjects have tasted the 

 sweets of pelagic sealing. 



The position of the Japanese Government with reference to pelagic sealing is a 

 somewhat peculiar and conflicting one. I have on a previous page pointed out the 

 three classes into which the pelagic sealing interests in Japanese waters may be 

 divided, viz : (1) That of the American and British schooners, which only come across 

 for part of the year and then return, having taken the bulk of the pelagic catch; 

 (2) that of the resident foreigners hunting with foreign crews; and (3) that of the 

 native owners, whose vessels and crews are entirely Japanese. Naturally the 

 Japanese Government has absolutely no interest in the first-mentioned class. On 

 the contrary, they have taken the cream of the business and left nothing but the 

 picked bones for the people who live in Japan, and the Government would only be too 

 glad if there were a way by Which the pelagic sealing, or so much of it as may be 

 allowed, could be reserved for the inhabitants of its own territory. 



On the other hand, it can not be doubted that the enlightened Government of 

 Japan is fully aware of the fact that the pelagic sealing is killing the goose that laid 

 the golden egg, and that it must surely cease entirely at some not very distant future, 

 if measures are not soon taken to stop the terrible drain upon the breeding herds. 



Moreover, Japan's interest in the sea otter, in spite of the great decline in the 

 number of this animal in recent years, due to lack of protection, is still considerable 

 enough to make her accede to any measures protecting the seals, provided they be 

 coupled with a proviso for the protection of the sea otter. 



It will, therefore, be readily seen that Japan's real interest lies in the protection 

 of both animals, and there can be no reasonable doubt but that she would gladly join 

 any agreement that would insure the perpetuity of both as sources of income to her 

 subjects. 



