Paper cannot wrap fire forever, and anything that should eventually come to light will do so. The prolonged absence of Russian diplomatic personnel soon aroused suspicion among the members of the diplomatic corps. Given that the Japanese government itself was aiming for “Leaving Asia and Entering Europe,” the severity of the xenophilia and self-abasement mentality was self-evident. Under such a broad societal backdrop, any major power that couldn’t manage to bribe a few spies would be utterly incompetent. … Late at night, the Holy Roman Empire’s embassy in Tokyo was brightly lit. The faces of the gathered envoys from various countries were dark and unpleasant. Anyone would be unhappy being pulled out of bed in the middle of the night. Jose, who was skilled at reading people’s expressions, noticed this at once, but he had no time to soothe anyone’s irritation. “Gentlemen, the reason I summoned you at this hour is that we have just received terrible news. All forty-seven members of the Russian Embassy staff in Tokyo have been killed.” Henriks, the British ambassador, immediately rejected the claim and said, “That is impossible. The Japanese government assured us that the Russian diplomatic staff suffered only minor injuries and that no one died.” Injuries among diplomatic personnel were not unheard of, but the complete annihilation of an entire embassy staff was almost unprecedented in human history. Only a short while ago, in a private conversation, the Japanese government had personally assured Henriks that every Russian diplomat was alive. Jose shook his head and said, “Sir Henriks, I also found it hard to believe when the message first came in, but those are the facts, and we must face them. In fact, before the Russian embassy was overrun, they managed to send us a wireless telegram. The attackers must have arrived too quickly, so only part of the message got through. Please take a look at it.” As he spoke, he handed the telegram to Ambassador Henriks before him. The telegram contained only a single simple word, yet in Henriks’s trembling hands it felt as heavy as a millstone. There was no helping it. The content was far too shocking. millstone did not believe for a moment that Jose would fabricate something like this. The word written in the incomplete telegram was “murder”. By itself, an unfinished telegram could not prove anything, but when combined with the Japanese government’s behavior, it explained a great deal. Whether it was sealing off the scene and forbidding foreign envoys from inspecting it, or preventing anyone from meeting the Russian diplomats, everything was suspicious. Jose paused before continuing, “We have a standing arrangement with the Russians. We exchange information once a week, and we have kept that practice without interruption for forty years. Even if their mental state is truly as unstable as the Japanese claim, they should have sent word. They would never simply fall silent without a single message. Perhaps you also noticed that when the Japanese troops arrived, none of the vehicles they brought included an ambulance. Are we to believe that wounded Russian diplomats were not even given the basic courtesy of an ambulance ride and were expected to walk to the hospital? I sent people to check the Western hospitals near the embassy district, and they did not admit any Russian diplomatic personnel among the patients they received. All these signs point to one conclusion. The Japanese government is lying. The Russian embassy staff have most likely met with misfortune.” Details decide everything. Although the Japanese government had worked hard to keep the matter secret, by the time they received word, it was already too late. The military police responsible for handling the scene were certainly not trained in covering up evidence. Besides, no one realized at first that the situation would spiral out of control. They had assumed it would be nothing more than a routine task of dispersing troublemakers. Other details could still be explained away, but the greatest flaw remained the hospitals. The best Western hospitals in Tokyo were all funded by international capital, and most of their doctors were foreigners. The Japanese government could pressure its own citizens into silence, but it could not control these expatriate professionals. No matter how tightly they tried to keep the secret, they could never seal off the hospitals or keep foreign diplomats from entering them. Diplomats might not excel in every skill, but a steady mindset was essential. After the initial shock, they quickly regained their composure and turned their eyes toward Jose and Henriks. The situation had already unfolded. All they could do now was respond decisively. At such a moment, it was up to the dominant power to step forward while the others followed and lent their voices. With the evidence laid before him, Henriks no longer dared defend the Japanese government. Even though he had prepared himself mentally, he had never imagined the Japanese would go this far. Deep down, he had already reached a conclusion. Once this ally had outlived its usefulness, Britain would have to discard it. After surveying the room, Henriks spoke with an apologetic expression, “I am truly sorry. This news came so suddenly that I need a moment to recover. Since Sir Jose was the first to uncover the matter, I trust he already has a plan for how we should respond.” He had no choice but to yield the initiative. The Anglo-Japanese Alliance was common knowledge. Any decision Britain made now would be scrutinized and attacked. In the past, Britain would not have cared, but the situation had changed. The Holy Roman Empire behind Jose was pressing them step by step, and any mistake would be magnified. Dispensing with modesty, Jose spoke at once, “There is no need to rush the question of how to settle the aftermath. For now, the most important matter is ensuring our own safety. All of you have lived in Japan long enough to know how barbaric this country can be. If they dared to strike the Russian embassy, none of us can be certain they will not turn on us next. When dealing with people whose minds do not operate normally, it is impossible to predict their next move. The best solution is armed deterrence. I propose that our countries form a joint intervention force, gather our strength in Asia, and then negotiate with the Japanese government regarding the aftermath.” The cultural divide between East and West was directly brushed aside by Jose as “having something wrong in their heads,” and no one found the remark inappropriate. In fact, the others appeared to agree wholeheartedly. Even the British ambassador, Henriks, believed the Japanese had something wrong with their minds. But that did not mean he was willing to form an intervention coalition. If the military forces of multiple countries were truly gathered in Asia, the issue would no longer be something that could be resolved through negotiations. There was a real chance Japan would be broken beyond repair. France had been the lesson. Once full of promise in Britain’s eyes, it had been crippled after the occupation left it divided and paralyzed. Japan was a key pillar in Britain’s strategic planning, and until Russia was thoroughly weakened, Japan’s strength could not be compromised in any way. “Lord Jose, you are giving the Japanese too much credit. Even if you lent them courage, they would never dare act against us. Japan is not worthy of an international intervention force. Simply bringing over the fleets of our two nations stationed in the Far East will be more than enough. There is no need to mobilize everyone. As for the Russian embassy incident, we can demand that the Japanese government give us a satisfactory explanation. If they refuse, it will not be too late to take harsher measures.” Henriks was not belittling Japan without reason. In these times, Japan truly was not worthy of an international coalition. The reason was simple. They were too poor. Even if the coalition won, there would not be enough spoils to cover the military expenses. Sending troops would be a poor investment. Of course, whether they were worthy or not was secondary. The real issue was that Britain wanted to preserve Japan’s military strength. An international intervention force sounded impressive, but in reality it was a band of robbers. If they marched across Japan, all the achievements of the Meiji Restoration would be wiped out. Compared to that, deploying only the British and Holy Roman fleets would cause far less damage. If the Royal Navy stayed out of it, the most the Holy Roman fleet in the East Indies could do was fire a few shells at the harbor. As long as the Japanese Navy had the restraint to remain in port, nothing catastrophic would happen. But all of this depended on the Japanese government being smart enough to bow its head when necessary. If they angered the other nations, even Britain would not be able to shield them. “It would certainly be best if the dispute can be resolved peacefully. But the atrocities that took place at the Russian embassy must be investigated thoroughly. Every person involved must be punished. A few scapegoats will not be enough. The Japanese government must show sufficient sincerity and guarantee that such an incident will never happen again in the future,” Jose said coldly. That was it? Raise the pressure high, then let it fall lightly? Clearly, things could not be that simple. Jose seemed to accept the British proposal, but in reality he was setting conditions. The Japanese government would have to bleed, otherwise there would be no way to soothe the outrage of the diplomatic corps. In the end, international politics was always about interests. As long as the benefits were sufficient, anything could be negotiated. The main reason for intervening in the Russian embassy case was that the Japanese had broken the rules and harmed the interests of all diplomats. Both in principle and in practical terms, everyone had to take a firm stance. If the victims had been Russian civilians instead of embassy staff, the others would have issued a few statements of condemnation at most. No one would have felt personally threatened. As a diplomat himself, Henriks was furious that the Japanese had violated the rules. If not for Britain’s strategic interests, he would never have spoken on Japan’s behalf. Now that the Holy Roman Empire had already agreed to compromise, he naturally would not continue to defend the Japanese government. After all, mistakes must be paid for. Whether it was hunting down the killers or punishing the Japanese authorities, it was justifiable. If Japan escaped without any consequences, then something would be very wrong. Besides, this was not even their first offense. This was not the first time that diplomats had been killed in Japan, but this case was by far the most outrageous. They were all diplomats, and whether for the sake of their national interests or their own safety, they had to teach the Japanese government a harsh lesson. Having fulfilled his duty to report back to Britain, Henriks once again assumed the full imperialist tone and said, “Naturally, no righteous person in the world can tolerate letting the murderers walk free. The investigation of the Russian embassy case must be led by us. The Japanese government only needs to cooperate.” … Once the envoys reached a consensus, a sharply worded joint diplomatic note was drafted. Imperial meetings, once rare, had recently become a routine affair. Even Emperor Meiji could no longer maintain the usual decorum and frequently joined the discussions in person. Foreign Minister Inoue Kaoru, his face dark with anger, held up a document and spoke sternly, “The news about the Russian embassy has been leaked. The diplomatic corps has already reached an agreement. This is the joint note we just received. They demand that within twenty-four hours we hand over the Russian diplomatic staff in Tokyo. They also require us to secure the scene and wait for the joint investigation team they will be sending to take over the case. During this period, any attempt to tamper with the scene, conceal evidence, or allow the suspects to escape will be regarded by the envoys as actions ordered by our government. This warning is not an empty threat. According to information from the British, the various powers are already planning to form an international intervention force. If our next steps fail to satisfy them, they will assemble a coalition force and intervene by military means. The Holy Roman fleet is already on its way, and the Royal Navy will move soon. Time is running out.” The worst-case scenario had arrived. Even though they had mentally prepared themselves, no one expected international intervention to come this quickly. The military representatives, in particular, now looked like wilted eggplants, completely devoid of their former fire. They were all adults, after all. There were times when one had to swallow their pride. Defying pressure only worked when the great powers were merely issuing verbal threats. But once both the Holy Roman Navy and the Royal Navy began mobilizing, the situation was no longer about strong words. A single misstep could bring those two giants crashing down on Japan for real. Faced with top-class great powers, everyone understood the gap in strength. Even looking only at naval power made the point painfully clear. Whether it was Britain’s Far Eastern Fleet or the Holy Roman fleet in the East Indies, either one could crush the Japanese Navy without effort. The Holy Roman Empire’s East Indies Fleet was especially alarming, as it had recently added a “super battleship” to its lineup. That one ship alone was strong enough to take on the entire Japanese battleship force. It was not that the enemy was too strong, but rather that the Japanese government was simply too poor. They could only watch as Britain and the Holy Roman Empire pushed forward their naval revolutions, without even having the courage to try keeping up. They could not afford new super battleships, nor could they afford to replace their old ones. Japan was still relying on ships bought from Britain during the Spanish-Japanese War, as well as vessels purchased at auction from France after the European War. No matter how advanced a warship once was, it would eventually fall behind. And there was no doubt that ships built ten or twenty years ago were already on the verge of obsolescence. Against a dreadnought-class super battleship, the outcome could only be slaughter versus being slaughtered. There was simply no confidence to stand against such power. Of course, being backward depended on who the comparison was made with. Against Britain and the Holy Roman Empire, two bullies of the seas, Japan had no chance. But within Asia, Japan was still unquestionably the strongest naval power, even if there were only two independent countries left in the region. Itō Hirobumi said, “The British position is already very clear. It seems the incident at the Russian embassy has touched their bottom line. We must handle the matter with extreme caution. Otherwise this crisis alone could destroy the Empire. The Qing Dynasty is a lesson we cannot ignore. Our foundation is far weaker than theirs, and we cannot withstand that kind of turmoil. How is the search for the culprit progressing? The diplomatic corps has given us only twenty-four hours. We cannot afford to delay.” It was obvious that Itō Hirobumi was exhausted. He had clearly been worrying about this for days. Kodama Gentarō answered bitterly, “The military police have already arrested the people involved, but the investigation has produced very discouraging results. So far more than two hundred people have insisted that they acted alone and that no one else was involved. But none of them can explain how they carried out the plan. If we hand the investigation over to the diplomatic corps, something terrible will happen.” Others worry about not finding the culprit, but their problem was the exact opposite. People were lining up to confess. The trouble was that they needed to find the real mastermind, not a few scapegoats. If turning over a handful of people could solve the crisis, the Japanese government would not be in such a panic. Prime Minister Ōkuma Shigenobu sighed at once then said, “With citizens like these, how could the Empire not prosper? If only…” Before he could finish, Emperor Meiji glared at him. The meaning was very clear. This was no time for sighs. What they needed now was a solution. Patriotism among the people was admirable, but when it went too far it created new problems. Just like now, they had been used without realizing it. Many were still thrilled about killing the Russians, unaware that they had pushed Japan to the edge of a cliff. Driven by fanaticism, people kept taking the blame upon themselves, cutting off every possible lead. For now the Japanese government was conducting the investigation itself, so the situation was still manageable. But once the investigative team formed by the diplomatic corps took over, everything would change. Anyone who had confessed would be treated as guilty without exception and every one of them would be sent to the guillotine. It did not matter if they ruined their own lives, but the diplomatic corps would believe that the Japanese government was offering up fanatics as sacrificial pawns. They would not let that go. After calming down, Ōkuma Shigenobu reorganized his thoughts and said, “Your Majesty, our most important task is to hold on to jurisdiction over the investigation. As long as we control the investigation, the situation stays within our grasp. The main reason the foreign envoys are involving themselves so actively is that the embassy incident made them feel threatened, so they want guarantees to their safety. We can fully meet their demands on this point. For example, we can increase police presence in the embassy district and forbid any demonstrations from approaching Embassy Avenue. Whatever else they ask for, as long as it does not touch the Empire’s core interests, we can accept it. In addition to concessions and reassurance, the Foreign Ministry has prepared generous gifts for each envoy. We can look for opportunities to deliver them. Once their emotions are stabilized, everything that follows will be easier.” There was nothing wrong with his reasoning. In these times, foreign ambassadors wielded enormous power. Most international disputes were handled by these ambassadors directly. Only a few matters required them to seek instructions from their home governments before making a decision. Calming these men effectively meant stabilizing their governments too. As long as the diplomatic corps did not cause trouble, Japan would only have to deal with the Russian Empire. The disparity in strength was still overwhelming, but Japan at least would not face immediate destruction. Itō Hirobumi shook his head and explained, “Ōkuma-kun, you are oversimplifying the matter. The European powers hold the security of their embassies in the highest regard, and the Russian embassy incident has already pushed them to their limit. This is not something that can be solved by buying off a few ambassadors. I fear the Empire will pay a heavy price this time.”
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