関東州阿片令制定をめぐる一考察
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概要
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The establishment of a Japanese government ordinance on opium administration in Guandong Leased Territory, the aim of which was to implement opium administration in accordance with the Hague Opium Treaty, resulted, in fact, in virtual permission of open opium-smoking in the region. Japan had been accused of being the major agent responsible for the abuse of opium-smoking in China during the early 1920s, and the establishment of a new opium ordinance to deal properly with the issue in the region could otherwise be a good chance to soothe the accusation, and lead easily to raise Japan's prestige as "One of the Five Powers". Therefore, the result means that the Japanese government failed to take responsibility as a Great Power to make an active contribution in laying the foundation for an international co-operative system to control and extirpate the evil of opium-smoking. This proves to have been a diplomatic blunder. One of the factors in the government's failure is the weight of opium revenue. It was very obvious that the Japanese would have run into financial difficulties, if there would not be opium revenue at all, or not a sufficient amount of it. The Japanese government gave the stability of ruling Guandong precedence over taking its responsibility in the international arena at the time.