一六、加滕演說遠東問題

（二月四日）

前記英日在此次遠東戰(zhàn)禍之地位（本卷第一三則），頃讀日本外相加藤在議院演說之詞（九月五日），有大足與前所記相發(fā)明者，節(jié)錄之：

Therefore in as much as she is asked by her Ally for assistance at the time when the commerece in Eastern Asia is subjected to constant menace, Japan, which regards that alliance as the guiding principle of her foreign policy, cannot but comply with such request and do her part. Besides, in the opinion of the government, the possession by Germany, whose interests are opposed to those of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, of a base of her powerful activities in one corner of the Far East is not only a serious obstacle to the maintenance of permanent peace of Eastern Asia, but is also in conflict with the more immediate interests of our own Empire. The Government, therefore, resolved to comply with the British request and if necessary in doing so to open hostilities against Germany and after the Imperial sanction was obtained, they communicated this resolution to the British Government. Full and frank exchange of views between the two governments followed and it was finally agreed between them to take such actions as may be necessary to protect the general interest contemplated by the Agreement of Alliance.

〔中譯〕

當遠東的貿易不斷受到威脅之際，向來以結盟為其外交政策主導原則的日本，在她的盟國請求援助時，則不可能不答應這個請求，而盡她應盡的一份責任。此外，政府認為德國的利益與日英結盟的利益是相對立的。她在遠東的一隅為其強有力的行動占據一個基地，不僅對維持東亞持久和平是一個嚴重的障礙，而且也與我們帝國最直接的利益相沖突。因此政府決定答應英國的請求，而且決定在必要時采取與德國政府相敵對的行動，一經獲得天皇批準，政府即與英國互通這個決定。在完全坦誠地交換各自的看法之后，最后一致同意采取這樣的步驟，正是為了保衛(wèi)日英盟約所規(guī)定的利益所必需的。