<論説>一九一九年の日中関係

Abstract

一九一九年の日中関係にもつ意義は、パリ講和会議にもとづく五四運動の展開にのみあるものではない。五四事件が直接日本の中国政策に与えた影響を過大に評価することはできない。問題はむしろ欧州大戦の終結にともない、ふたたび中国への進出を強化し、日本の独占的優位を動揺せしめんと企図する英米諸国が、中国内部に有力な支持勢力が育成されたと考えた点にある。山東問題、三・一事件、五四運動、参戦軍問題、中国財政援助をめぐる四国借款団形成問題等の経過に於て、日本が戦後の還境の変化にもとづく脅威に対し、いかに抵抗したか、そして後退を余儀なくされたか、また一九二〇年代の日中関係の基礎がどのように形成されつつあつたか、これらの諸問題を観察するのが、小稿の目的である。

The full meaning of the Year 1919 with reference to the Sino-Japanese relationship could not be exhausted with the development of the May Fourth Movement, which had had some of its origins in the decision of the Raris Peace Conference, and the scope and outlook of that Movement felt by the Japanese China-policy cannot be overestimated. We shall find rather by investigating the facts the plans and intentions of Anglo-Saxon countries to consolidate their positions in the interior of China in order to nullify the unique power of Japan, having themselves regained the chance of expansion in the wake of the World War I. The Japanese resisted and they were forced to retreat amid the atomospheric change of the post-war world, during that eventful year of the Shantung question, the Banzai Affairs, the May Fourth Movement, the aftermath of the Chinese participation at the war, and the formation of the Four Power Consortium for financial aid towards China. The auther recapitulated the above facts, and has revealed to some extent the possibilities of further development in 1920's of the Sino-Japanese relationship.