Japan-China Joint Military Agreement for Defense of the Enemy

A military agreement in which the Japanese and Chinese armies agreed to cooperate under the pretext of preventing the eastward advance of German forces due to the Russian Revolution. When the Russian October Revolution occurred in November 1917 (Taisho 6), the military, led by Vice Chief of Staff Tanaka Giichi, aimed to control northern Manchuria and Siberia east of Lake Baikal, and persuaded the Chinese side to cooperate with the Japanese and Chinese armies. In March of the following year, they sent a representative chaired by Major General Saito Suejiro to negotiate. As a result, the Japan-China Joint Defense of the Enemy Military Agreement was concluded in May by the Army and Navy separately. The Army Agreement consisted of 12 articles, obligating Japanese troops in the military operation area to provide assistance from Chinese officials for joint defense of the enemy, and promising to exchange information, and mutually supply military supplies and raw materials. The Navy Agreement was almost identical in content. As a result, Japan completed its preparations for the Siberian Expedition, and the Chinese military in northern Manchuria was effectively under Japanese command. The essence of the agreement was clearly to dominate China politically, militarily, and economically. The Chinese people strongly opposed this, and half of the Chinese students studying in Japan (1,200 people) returned home, and students in Beijing and the general chambers of commerce in various regions also launched protests. These movements became a major driving force behind the May Fourth Movement. The agreement was abolished in January 1821, after the end of World War I.

[Masaomi Yui]

"The Birth of the Modern East Asian International Environment" by Kanji Seki (1966, Fukumura Publishing)" "Tetsuichi Takakura (ed.), "The Biography of Giichi Tanaka, Vol. 1" (1958, Dosho Publishing Association / Reprint edition, 1981, Hara Shobo)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

ロシア革命によるドイツ勢力東漸防止を名目とする日華両軍の協力を約した軍事協定。1917年（大正6）11月ロシア十月革命が起こると、田中義一(ぎいち)参謀次長を中心に軍部は北満とバイカル湖以東のシベリア支配をねらい、日華両軍の協力を中国側に説き、翌年3月斎藤季治郎(すえじろう)少将を委員長とする代表を派遣して交渉にあたらせた。その結果5月に陸・海軍別々に日華共同防敵軍事協定が締結された。陸軍協定は12条からなり、共同防敵のため軍事行動区域内の日本軍に中国官吏の援助を義務づけ、情報交換、軍需品、原料などの相互供給を約した。海軍協定もほぼ同一内容のものである。これにより日本はシベリア出兵の準備を完了するとともに、北満の中国軍は実質上日本の指揮下に入ることとなった。協定の本質は明らかに中国の政治的、軍事的、経済的支配にあった。これに対し、中国民衆は強く反対し、在日留学生の半数1200人が帰国し、北京(ペキン)の学生、各地の総商会も反対運動を展開した。これらの運動は五・四運動の有力な原動力となった。協定は第一次世界大戦終了後の21年1月に廃止された。

［由井正臣］

『関寛治著『現代東アジア国際環境の誕生』（1966・福村出版）』▽『高倉徹一編『田中義一伝記　上』（1958・同書刊行会／復刻版・1981・原書房）』

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