The German Ambassador to Switzerland, Jacob, had been basking in the glory of his nation's battlefield victories. With each successive triumph, his stature seemed to grow taller. It was widely believed that Germany's victory in this war was all but assured, and the idea of Germany replacing Britain as the world's new hegemon was already considered a foregone conclusion.
Numerous nations, eager to curry favor with the rising global power, flocked to Jacob, showering him with praise. This was especially true of those nations that had been less than friendly toward Germany during the war. They now saw an opportunity to mend their relations, hoping to avoid retribution once Germany emerged victorious.
"Your Excellency, the Japanese Ambassador wishes to meet with you," announced Jacob's secretary.
"The Japanese? What do they want? If my memory serves me correctly, we are still at war with them. Their hands still grasp our colonies in the Pacific," Jacob remarked, furrowing his brow.
As the saying goes, "like master, like servant." With the Emperor of the Empire showing no kindness toward the Japanese, it was only natural that the officials of the Empire would share this sentiment. Diplomats, skilled at reading the mood, were not foolish enough to maintain cordial relations with the Japanese.
"Your Excellency, the Japanese Ambassador claims he wishes to discuss matters related to the Pacific colonies," the secretary explained.
Jacob paused, then nodded thoughtfully. "Very well, arrange the meeting."
"Yes, Your Excellency." The secretary sighed in relief. He had been discreetly pocketing a sum of 1,000 marks from the Japanese, for their sole request had been to facilitate the meeting with Jacob—not to ask for any German secrets. The secretary considered it a simple transaction.
The following evening, Jacob met with Kōzō Uchida, the Japanese Ambassador, in the private chamber of the German Embassy in Switzerland.
"Your Excellency Jacob, I am deeply grateful for the time you've taken to meet with me," Uchida said, lowering his posture as if he were a subordinate before Jacob.
For the Japanese, saving face had never been paramount. Their true concern had always been tangible gain. If abandoning pride could secure such gain, they would not hesitate to discard it.
"Uchida, good evening," Jacob said, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction at the sight of the Japanese diplomat's humble demeanor.
"Your Excellency Jacob, the war between our countries was a misunderstanding. As you know, Japan signed an alliance treaty with Britain as far back as 1902, renewing it in 1911. When war broke out, we were compelled by our alliance obligations to declare war on Germany. This was not Japan's intention. We have the deepest admiration for the victories Germany has achieved on the battlefield. Therefore, Japan seeks to rectify this mistake. We have decided to terminate our alliance with Britain and return all German colonies in the Pacific to Germany," Uchida explained.
In his bid to secure advantages for Japan, Uchida shifted all blame onto the British, painting his country as the victim in the matter.
Jacob smiled—yet his smile was laced with contempt, more a grimace than a genuine expression of joy. He observed Uchida's performance with cold detachment. Perhaps such a story would fool a child, but Jacob was no novice diplomat to be taken in by such childish tactics.
"Regardless of the reasons, it is an undeniable fact that your country declared war on the Empire and brazenly seized its colonies. If your country wishes to return those colonies, that would indeed be most welcome. However, given the damage your actions have caused to the German Empire, would Japan not be obligated to compensate for the losses?" Jacob inquired.
"That..." Uchida faltered. Japan had only promised to return the colonies under the condition that Germany would accept Japan into the Alliance, but compensation was not part of his mandate.
"Your Excellency, I will report your request to my government," Uchida replied.
Jacob nodded. He understood that Uchida was not authorized to make decisions. He was merely a messenger, bound to report everything to Tokyo, with no power to influence the outcome.
"Your Excellency, we hope to correct the mistakes of the past. We wish to join the German-led Alliance. If Germany is willing to accept us, we guarantee that Japan will fulfill its duty and declare war on Britain," Uchida added.
"Join the Alliance?" Jacob was taken aback, unsure of the Japanese intent. Had this been before the war, when Japan was still poised to betray Britain and join the Central Powers, Germany would have welcomed them without hesitation. After the Russo-Japanese War, Japan had been considered one of the world's great powers. Despite their inferior equipment, their military strength was undeniable. Had Japan attacked British colonies early in the war, or helped Germany strike at Russia, it would have greatly benefited the Germans.
But now, with the war already in full swing, Japan had declared war on the Central Powers without a second thought. Now, their proposal to join the Allies was highly suspect.
Jacob realized immediately that Japan's true intentions were far from innocent.
Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he understood the Japanese ploy. Japan was clearly not planning to send troops to Europe to fight Britain on the Western Front. Their target was obvious: Britain's colonies in the Far East.
Britain had already paid a heavy price in this war. Their colonial holdings were barely defended anymore. If Japan were to strike those colonies, they could easily seize them. But when the dust settled, whose colonies would they be?
"Your Excellency, I must admire Japan's shamelessness. At this moment, you intend to steal the spoils from the German Empire's table? It is utterly disgraceful. Do you think that the diplomats of the German Empire are fools?" Jacob said coldly.
Immediately, Uchida's face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and anger.