A boy who saw the cruiser with Japanese Prince aboard:
A Japanese Cruiser, "Katori", visited Sri Lanka in 1921 on the way to Europe. The ship was taking Japanese Prince Hirohito to Europe. Lots of people got together to have a quick look at the Japanese Navy cruiser that had defeated Russia. A boy was in the mob, who was a 15-year-old J.R. Jayewardene. When he was welcomed to Japan as a national guest in 1979, he mentioned in the banquet at the Imperial Palace as follows:
Our traditional religion, language and customs were at the brink of extinction under the long-lasting rule of foreign countries. Not only our people, but also all the people in Asian countries which were suffering the same problem, had admired and respected Japan for a long time. Japan was the only independent country among the Asian countries. In the era when superpowers were arrogant and ruled the world by their military power and unfair trades, you competed with them, ranked with them and sometimes beat them. When you stopped over at Sri Lanka in 1921, I got carried away and went to the harbor to glance at your ship.
Japan began to appear on the stage of world affairs those days after the victory in the second world war. Japan fought with Great Britain under the Anglo-Japanese Alliance and just started being acknowledged as one of the strong countries. Japan was one of the Asian countries and had the culture of Buddhism, just as Sri Lanka. The prince of Japan at that time had been heading for their equal partner, Great Britain, with their own cruiser. This event must have encouraged the people in Sri Lanka, who were eager to get their independence. (next page)
(Vocabulary)
Junius Richard Jayewardene J.R.ジャヤワルダナ (スリランカの政治家)
have a quick look at 一目見る
banquet at the Imperial Palace 宮中晩餐会
rank with ～と並ぶ
the Anglo-Japanese Alliance 日英同盟
equal partner 対等のパートナー
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