POLITICAL INFLUENCE OF JAPAN IN CHINA BEFORE AND DURING WORLD WAR I: RUSSIAN POSITION

World War I not only was caused by contradictions between great powers, but also in turn had strong impact on formation of new international contradictions. In the Pacific Rim (PR) there was so-called "a Far East question", consisting of the relations of two largest states antagonists - Japan and China. Round this opposition there were interests of great powers, including Russia. Thus, for Russia relationship with China and Japan was key in the region in the years of World War I. In August, 1914 Japan entered World War I on the Entente party, took colonies of Germany on the Pacific Ocean and occupied the Shantung Peninsula. The Russian diplomacy was compelled to consider a factor of strengthening of influence of Japan in the region. Russia originally taken with war, tried to postpone the decision of "the Chinese question" until the conflict termination in Europe, and then was compelled to support under pressing of Japanese diplomacy its requirements in China.