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JAPAN AS A WORLD POWER
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of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance. It is not, however, to be imagined that Great Britain overlooked or ignored Japan's other elements of power; but it is quite evident that the latter's military and naval efficiency made a great impression on the former. Therefore it is our duty, having considered Japan's geographical, industrial, commercial, social, historical, and political features, to take up now her polemic ability.

The Japanese army and navy are created and sustained, as to personnel, by a conscription system, quite like that of Germany. Theoretically, "all males between the full ages of 17 and 40 years, who are Japanese subjects, shall be liable to conscription."[1] This period is, moreover, divided up as follows: (1) Active service with the colors, for 3 years in the army and 4 years in the navy, by those who have "attained the full age of 20 years"; so that those who are between 17 and 20 are apparently exempt except "in time of war or other emergency"; (2) First Reserve term, of 4 years in the army and 3 years in the navy, "by such as have completed their service with the colors"; (3) Second Reserve term of 5 years, "by those who have completed their service in the First Reserves"; and (4) Service in the Territorial Army for the remaining years by those who have completed the preceding term. But the last three services are merely nominal, as the First and Second Reserves and the Territorial Army are ordinarily called out only for drill once a year and are

  1. ↑ Quotations from Regulations.
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