Hara-Kiri

Baron Matsui, Japanese Foreign Minister, announced that "smiling" Hani-hara, Japanese Ambassador to the U. S., would return to Tokyo to explain to the Government the situation caused by President Coolidge's signing of the Johnson Immigration Bill (TIME, June 2, IMMIGRATION). Although the Foreign Minister stated that the Ambassador was not being recalled, informed circles thought his resignation was merely a question of time.

Following this announcement, the Japanese Foreign Office cabled to Ambassador Hanihara a note of protest to be transmitted to the U. S. Government, charging that the exclusion provisions of the Immigration Act of 1924 were contrary to the spirit of the Treaty of Commerce and Navigation concluded between the U.S. and Japan in 1911.

In consequence of this "it is impossible," continues the note, "for Japan to continue the undertakings assumed under the 'Gentlemen's Agreement.' The patient, loyal and scrupulous observance by Japan for more than 16 years of these self-denying regulations, in the interest of good relations between the two countries, now seems to have been wasted."

The note asserts that a U. S. Congress once denounced the unfair and unequal treatment accorded to a particular race in Russia by the terms of a treaty between Russia and the U. S. "Yet discrimination of a similar kind is expressed by the new statute of the United States."

After noting that the assimilability of the Japanese to American life and ideals is merely in the experimental stage, and after surveying recent history ot negotiations between the U. S. and Japan, the note ends:

"Accordingly, His Imperial Majesty's Government consider it their duty to maintain and to place on record their solemn protest against the discriminatory clause in Section 13 (C) of the Immigration Act of 1924, and to request the American Government to take all possible and suitable measures for the removal of such discrimination.

"I am instructed further to express the confidence that this communication will be received by the American Government in the same spirit of friendliness and candor in which it is made.

"Accept, sir, the renewed assurances of my highest consideration.

(Signed) "M. HANIHARA."

In Japan, hostile feeling toward the U. S. was fanned into flame by the Jingo press, reservist soldiers and Shinto priests. The latter, heads of the ancient religion of Japan, met in convention at the Meiji shrine, erected to the honor and glory of the father of the present Emperor, passed a resolution:

"The exclusion law, aimed at the Japanese, has been passed by Congress and signed by the President. This convinces the Japanese people of the falsity of the American ideals of justice and humanity. We, the leaders of Shinto, charged with responsibility for the national morals, declare our purpose to do all possible to protect the national courage."

Outside the old site of the American Embassy in Tokyo, an unidentified male, about the age of 40, committed hara-kiri (suicide by disemboweling). With a small dagger he slit his abdomen crosswise and then upward "in the classical way" and slashed his neck. Two letters were found by his corpse, one to "The People of the Japanese Empire," which was not published, but was understood to call upon the nation to rise and avenge the insult of the U. S. Immigration Act; one to "The American Ambassador and the American People:"

To ask the reflection of the American people I hereby entreat by my death His Excellency Cyrus E. Woods, American Ambassador, who well understands Japan and has great sympathy for the Japanese people, to convey my request as follows:

That a law shall be enacted to remove the exclusion clause from the new Immigration Bill. I request by my death the withdrawal of the Japanese exclusion clause because I greatly regret that your country, which has always advocated peace from a humanitarian viewpoint and has been known as a leader for peace throughout the world, enacted the Japanese exclusion clause in complete disregard of humanity.

The indignation caused by this insult, is impossible to overcome. If there is any ground for this affront, we should repent it and overcome the indignation, but when there is not the slightest cause for the offense given us, it is quite impossible to overcome our indignation even if we wished to.

I am a Japanese. We are now humiliated by your country in the eyes of the world without any justification--if there is any justification it applies for your country only --I prefer death rather than to feel resentment.

After my death I will ask the reconsideration by the people of your country through Jesus Christ and pray for the greater happiness of your people. At the same time I pray God for the removal of the injurious anti-Japanese clause from the Immigration Bill, which has subjected the Japanese to great insult and humiliation.

(Signed) A NAMELESS SUBJECT OF THE JAPANESE EMPIRE.