Editing Russo-Japanese War (section)

==== Effects on Japan ====
{{Main|Taft–Katsura agreement|Franco-Japanese Treaty of 1907|Japan–Russia Secret Agreements}}
Japan had become the rising Asian power and had proven that its military could fight the major powers in Europe with success. Most Western powers were stunned that the Japanese not only prevailed but decisively defeated Russia. In the Russo-Japanese War, Japan had also portrayed a sense of readiness in taking a more active and leading role in Asian affairs, which in turn had led to widespread nationalism throughout the region.{{r|Oye2005_86}}

Although the war had ended in a victory for Japan, Japanese public opinion was shocked by the very restrained peace terms which were negotiated at the war's end.<ref name="NYT3Sep1905">{{cite news |date=3 September 1905 |title=Japan's Present Crisis and Her Constitution |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9C01E5D8103AE733A25750C0A96F9C946497D6CF&scp=5&sq=order+of+meiji&st=p |url-access=subscription |access-date=12 February 2017 |archive-date=12 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160412183024/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9C01E5D8103AE733A25750C0A96F9C946497D6CF&scp=5&sq=order+of+meiji&st=p |url-status=live }}.</ref> Widespread discontent spread through the populace upon the announcement of the treaty terms, causing the [[Hibiya incendiary incident]]. Riots erupted in major cities in Japan following the incident, including demonstrations in front of the US Legation in Tokyo. Two specific requirements, expected after such a costly victory, were especially lacking: territorial gains and monetary reparations to Japan. The peace accord led to feelings of distrust, as the Japanese had intended to retain all of [[Sakhalin Island]] but were forced to settle for half of it after being pressured by the United States, with President Roosevelt opting to support Nicholas II's stance on not ceding territory or paying reparations. The Japanese had wanted reparations to help families recover from lost fathers and sons as well as heavy taxation by the government to finance the war.{{sfn|Connaughton|1988|p=342}}{{clarify|date=May 2017}} Without them, they were at a loss. The outcome of the [[Portsmouth Treaty|Portsmouth peace negotiations]], mediated by the U.S., was received by the general Japanese population with disbelief on September 5 and 6 when all the major newspapers reported the content of the signed treaty in lengthy editorials.

As a result, the wartime government, the [[First Katsura Cabinet]], which remained in power for the longest period (1,681 days) in the history of Japanese democracy to date, declared [[Martial Law|martial law]] to suppress the riots on September 6 (one day after the signing in Portsmouth). Martial law was lifted on November 29 after more than 2,000 people were arrested, but the Cabinet resigned on December 22 after ratifying the treaty on October 10, as if taking the responsibility for a lost war.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jacar.go.jp/english/nichiro/sumitsuin.htm|title=Privy Council minutes on ratification of the Russo-Japanese Peace Treaty|access-date=31 March 2022|archive-date=19 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220119020617/https://www.jacar.go.jp/english/nichiro/sumitsuin.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>