ng should be
definitely confirmed to her by the treaty. Two weeks after the
outbreak of the World War, Japan had addressed an ultimatum to Germany
to the effect that she immediately withdraw all German vessels from
Chinese and Japanese waters and deliver not later than September 15 "to
the Imperial Japanese authorities without condition or compensation the
entire leased territory of Kiao-chau with a view to the eventual
restoration of the same to China." In a statement issued to the press
Count Okuma said:

"As Premier of Japan, I have stated and I now again state to the people
of America and all the world that Japan has no ulterior motive or
desire to secure more territory, no thought of depriving China or any
other peoples of anything which they now possess."

The Germans had spent about $100,000,000 in improving Tsing-tau, the
principal city of Kiao-chau, and they had no intention of surrendering.
After a siege of two months the city was captured by the Japanese army
and navy, assisted by a small force of British troops. This was the
first act in the drama. On January 8, 1915, Japan suddenly presented
to the Chinese government the now famous Twenty-one Demands,
deliberately misrepresenting to the United States and other powers the
nature of these demands. Among other things, Japan demanded not only
that China should assent to any agreement in regard to Shantung that
Japan and Germany might reach at the conclusion of the war, but that
she should also grant to her greater rights and concessions in Shantung
than Germany had enjoyed. China was finally forced to agree to these
demands.

Japan's next step was to acquire from the Allies the assurance that
they would support her claims to Shantung and to the islands in the
Pacific north of the equator on the conclusion of the war. This she
did in secret agreements signed in February and March, 1917, with
England, France, Italy, and Russia. England agreed to support Japan's
claim on condition that Japan would support her claims to the Pacific
islands south of the equator. France signed on condition that Japan
would use her influence on China to break relations with Germany and
place at the disposal of the Allies the German ships interned in
Chinese ports. The Allies were evidently uneasy about Japan, and were
willing to do anything that was necessary to satisfy her. This
uncertainty about Japan may also be the explanation of the
Lansing-Ishii agreement signed N