Japanese Leaders Told Of Our Reply.

New York Times 100 years ago today, May 30, 1913:
Premier Takes Rivals Into His Confidence on Land Law Protest.
NEWS PLEASES WASHINGTON
It Is Believed to Indicate the Sincerity of Japan's Efforts to Allay Hostility.
    TOKIO, May 29.— As the result of the growing attacks by the Opposition the Japanese Government to-day took the Elder Statesmen and other Leaders, among them Prince Tare Katsura, the former Premier, into its confidence on the Californian question and submitted to them the text of America's reply to Japan's protest against the Californian alien land ownership legislation.
    The text of the reply sent by Washington emphasizes the point that the question at issue is an economic and not a political one. It points out that the State of California insists that there has been no violation of the American-Japanese treaty. After dwelling upon the friendship of the United States for Japan, the reply concludes that the courts of law are open and expresses the hope that the question may be solved in a manner satisfactory to Japan.
    Special to The New York Times. WASHINGTON, May 29.— That the real importance of the Japanese contention against the California alien land law was the intimate connection of the matter with domestic politics in Japan, which was recently explained in The New York Times, was confirmed in advices received by the State Department to-day. Premier Yamamoto to-day invited Prince Katsura and Count Okum and other leaders of the Opposition parties to a conference and submitted to them the Japanese protest made to this Government and the reply of Secretary Bryan.
    Mr. Bryan declined to discuss the incident, but it is believed that he regarded it as of the greatest importance as indicating the real character of the attitude assumed by Japan during the month the California alien land law occupied the attention of the people of the United States. It serves to clear the atmosphere of many misunderstandings and to relieve the alarm of those who thought the two countries might at almost any moment be plunged into war. Secretary Bryan would make no comment on the fact that the Japanese protest and his own reply had practically been made public in Japan further man to say that it was his understanding that the two documents were still held to be confidential, and had been shown to the Opposition loaders in a patriotic effort to satisfy them of the good faith of the present Government of Japan in the situation.
    Mr. Bryan said that he had no intention of making the protest or reply public hero because of the action taken by Premier Yamamoto. The documents are not likely to be given out for publication until all the excitement over the California, land law has subsided in Japan.
    It is thus clear that the two Governments are working in accord to allay all feeling of hostility.

    WASHINGTON, May 29.— Although the American reply to the Japanese protest against California land legislation was made ten days ago, there has as yet been no rejoinder, formal or informal. The Japanese Ambassador did not appear at the State Department today — "diplomatic Thursday" — because he had not received from Tokio the instructions necessary for the preparation of his note.
    This delay, however, is not construed as an indication of any purpose on the part of the Japanese Government to drop the negotiations. As a matter of fact, it is known that extraordinary pains have been taken to prepare a diplomatic communication to cover every point set out in the last note of Secretary Bryan. It is believed that there will be a polite dissent from the California declaration, drafted into the State Department's reply, that the Webb act is not in violation of the existing treaties. This will apply particularly to the Japanese claim that the California provision that Japanese may not inherit real property conflicts with older treaties than that of 1911.
    Tokio advices regarding the conference of the Japanese Cabinet with the Opposition leaders is understood here to forecast the presentation by the Japanese of a united front in all of the subsequent stages of the negotiations. This, while adding to the weight of the Japanese note, is expected to make easier the task of negotiation.