The Russian reply to Baron Motono's Note to the French and Russian
Ambassadors, dated March 5, 1917, was as follows:--
In reply to the Note of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
under the date of February 19th last, the Russian Embassy is
charged with giving the Japanese Government the assurance that it
can entirely count on the support of the Imperial Government of
Russia with regard to its desiderata concerning the eventual
surrender to Japan of the rights belonging to Germany in Shantung
and of the German Islands, occupied by the Japanese forces, in
the Pacific Ocean to the north of the Equator.[74]
It will be observed that, unlike England and France, Russia demands no
_quid pro quo_, doubtless owing to the secret treaty concluded in the
previous year.
After these agreements, Japan saw no further objection to China's
participation in the war. The chief inducement held out to China was the
hope of recovering Shantung; but as there was now no danger of this hope
being realized, Japan was willing that America, in more or less honest
ignorance, should unofficially use this hope for the persuasion of the
Chinese. It is true that Japan had reason to fear America until the last
days of the Peace Conference, but this fear was considerably diminished
by the conclusion of the Lansing-Ishii Agreement in November 1917.
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