“Damn the Brits, they’re so arrogant. They want to use the Empire’s warriors as cannon fodder! Make us fight their battles for them! One day, the Empire will make them pay dearly for their actions today!”
After British Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sir Charles Bagot, left, the respectful expression on Prime Minister Kuroda Kiyotaka’s face disappeared completely, replaced by a look of resentment.
The Empire of Japan relied on the British Empire for support in all aspects.
But at the same time, they didn’t want to be Britain’s dog.
It had to be admitted, the Japanese were indeed a complex people!
“Prime Minister, the British have been the world’s dominant power for hundreds of years, so it’s only natural they’d be a bit arrogant. The Empire still has a long way to go to become a top-tier nation. If we want to challenge Britain, it will take generations of effort,” Foreign Minister Ōkuma Shigenobu sighed.
“One day, the Empire will become strong enough to rival Britain, and make them stop underestimating us!” Kuroda Kiyotaka gritted his teeth and swore.
“Prime Minister, we should immediately convene other cabinet and military leaders to discuss this matter and report to His Imperial Majesty. The Brits haven’t given us much time,” Ōkuma Shigenobu reminded.
Kuroda Kiyotaka nodded. “Gather the cabinet and military leadership in the Imperial Palace and hold a Council in the Presence of the Throne.”
“Yes, Prime Minister!” Ōkuma Shigenobu replied.
Soon, a group of cabinet and military leaders of the Empire of Japan gathered at the Imperial Palace.
Emperor Meiji also attended this meeting.
“Your Imperial Majesty, my lords. The British have decided to intervene in the Qing Dynasty’s civil war. However, they clearly don’t want to participate in the war themselves, instead demanding that the Empire send troops to fight for them,” Prime Minister Kuroda Kiyotaka told everyone.
“Humph! The Brits are playing a clever game!” Prince Arisugawa Taruhito, Chief of the General Staff of the Imperial Japanese Army, snorted.
“The Empire may not be able to refuse the British request. Our foreign trade relies heavily on British markets. At the same time, the Empire needs loans from the British for both industrial and military development,” Finance Minister Matsukata Masayoshi reminded.
“The Empire can’t afford to offend the British. We still need to order many warships from them,” Vice-Admiral Rinjō Keihō, Head of the Imperial Japanese Navy’s Naval Staff, expressed his opinion.
“The Royal Navy of the British Empire is the strongest in the world. The Imperial Navy has much to learn from them,” Admiral Saigō Tsugumichi, Minister of the Navy, added.
“The Imperial Army needs a real battle to test the fruits of our years of development. If the British or the Qing are willing to offer us enough benefits, then deploying the army to fight this war is entirely feasible!” General Oyama Iwao, Minister of War, also expressed his stance.
Afterwards, high-ranking officials such as Itō Hirobumi and Yamagata Aritomo all expressed their opinions.
It could be said that the cabinet and military leadership of the Empire of Japan all supported the idea of listening to the British and going to the Qing Dynasty to deal with the Beiyang Army.
Prime Minister Kuroda Kiyotaka understood what they were thinking.
“Your Imperial Majesty, it seems everyone agrees to dispatch troops to help quell the rebellion in Qing. Do you have any instructions?” Kuroda Kiyotaka asked.
“My lords, since you believe that sending troops to help the Qing quell the rebellion is beneficial to the Empire, then so be it!” Meiji clearly understood his position and did not give any arbitrary commands.
“Yes, Your Imperial Majesty!” Prime Minister Kuroda Kiyotaka replied.
“My lords, since we’re going to help the Qing quell the rebellion, they must pay the Empire a price that satisfies us. Do you have any suggestions?” Prime Minister Kuroda Kiyotaka continued.
“Prime Minister, the Korean peninsula is a stepping stone for the Empire’s future ambitions in Northeast China and the entire Qing Dynasty. Although we managed to secure the same right to station troops in Korea as the Qing through the Gapsin Coup,
this time we can take the opportunity to force the Qing to withdraw from the Korean peninsula and place the entire peninsula under our control!”
General Yamagata Aritomo, known as the Father of the Imperial Japanese Army, proposed.
“Yōshi, that’s a good idea. By occupying the Korean peninsula, we can continuously plunder resources and use it as a base to launch future attacks on Northeast China. It’s a win-win!” General Oyama Iwao, Minister of War, was very supportive.
“The Qing must also pay a hefty sum of military expenses. Otherwise, why should the Empire’s warriors help them put down the rebellion?” Prince Arisugawa Taruhito, Chief of the General Staff of the Imperial Japanese Army, said.
“The Empire’s finances are under immense pressure, and we face a budget deficit every year. Of course, the Qing should pay for this mission to help them quell the rebellion,” Finance Minister Matsukata Masayoshi said.
Prime Minister Kuroda Kiyotaka nodded. “Ōkuma-kun, you’ve heard everyone’s demands. You are in charge of communicating with the British!”
“Yes, Prime Minister!” Foreign Minister Ōkuma Shigenobu replied.