After more than one hour of consultations, the Japanese cabinet finally came up with five countermeasures:

First, the Navy's Command Department should count the losses of the combined fleet as soon as possible, reorganize the remaining fleet, and restore the combat strength of the navy as soon as possible.

Second, the news of the navy's defeat cannot be blocked, but it can make a fuss about the quantity and content of the navy, and only announce to the outside world that the Combined Fleet was attacked by the East China Government fleet during the Russian fleet's engagement, and lost two battleships and two cruisers; but at the same time, it also announced that due to the combined fleet's fierce resistance, a total of six warships of the East China Government were sunk, and 12 Russian ships were also sunk in the previous battle with the Russian fleet. The rest of the sunken warships were said to be repaired at the shipyard, so that the failure of the navy could be downplayed and would not have a major impact on the morale of the people, and at the same time, efforts were made to announce the sneak attack of the East China government, so as to arouse the people's hatred and hatred. The Army's information was withheld for the time being.

Third, the War Department and the Navy Department were ordered to immediately redraw their land and sea operational plans in light of the current situation. The East China Government's entry into the war has completely disrupted the current situation on the Liaodong Peninsula, and it is obvious that Japan's battle plan is no longer suitable and must be reformulated.

However, Gonbei Yamamoto raised a question: What is the purpose of formulating the new battle plan? Is it to completely defeat the Russian and East China government's armies? Or is it to maintain the Russian situation and defeat only the East China government? Or is it to do its best to maintain the current situation in which Liaodong is dominated by three powers, and wait for the Japanese Government to use diplomatic means to resolve the current war situation? Finally, it is to withdraw from the Liaodong Peninsula.

When the members of the cabinet heard this, they all looked at each other and were speechless, to be honest, everyone now knows that the situation in Japan on the Liaodong Peninsula is the most dangerous, and it is already very difficult to maintain the current situation, and there is no need to think about defeating that side at all, and it is best to withdraw nearly one million troops and logistical personnel from the Liaodong Peninsula safely. However, the withdrawal of troops means a complete defeat in this war, and no one can afford this consequence, so naturally it cannot be considered.

In the end, Katsura Taro said that three operational plans could be formulated separately according to the first three objectives, but the withdrawal of troops was not considered, and then the adoption of that plan was considered according to the development of the situation.

Fourth, it is necessary to negotiate with Britain as soon as possible, ask Britain to provide substantial support to Japan, and demand that Britain send troops to reinforce Japan on the basis of the [Anglo-Japanese Alliance Treaty].

At this time, Ito Hirobumi made a suggestion, thinking that he could contact Russia at this time to negotiate an armistice, and even persuade Russia and Japan to join forces against the East China government. Although Japan and Russia were inseparably fought, the East China government entered the war under the banner of recovering the three northeastern provinces, and in fact listed Russia as an enemy, which was also unfavorable to Russia, so Japan and Russia had a basis for joining forces. I believe that there are people in the Russian government who understand that in the current situation, it is best for Japan and Russia to join forces. In addition, the relationship between Britain and Russia's ally France, which is strengthening, can also exert influence on Russia through Britain, and if Japan and Russia join forces, then in the Liaodong region, they can fight with the East China government.

After the cabinet considered it, some people did not think that Ito Hirobumi's proposal was highly feasible, but at least it could be tried, anyway, he was still in a hurry to go to the doctor, and he had to try any method, so he also listed Ito's proposal in the fourth point.

Fifth, it is necessary to issue a statement of the Japanese Government as soon as possible to criticize the East China Government, focusing on the importance of Japan waging this war, to put it bluntly, for Britain and the United States, and of course for the Qing court, so as to highlight the illegitimacy of the East China Government's participation in the war and the serious damage to the interests of other countries, and to highlight as much as possible that the East China Government's undeclared war is a violation of the norms of international relations. determination, and win international sympathy, and strive for international support and help.

After these five countermeasures were decided, the Japanese government immediately took action, and the top officials of the navy and army gathered to discuss military plans, while Katsura Taro went to the palace to report to the emperor, and Hirobumi Ito and Komura Shotaro visited the British ambassador to Japan, MacDonald.

And when he learned that Ito Hirobumi and Komura Shoutaro came to visit, MacDonald naturally understood their intentions, and it was noon, and MacDonald had already learned of the public statement of the East China government, and to be honest, MacDonald was also very shocked, but he didn't expect overseas Chinese to dare to do it. Of course, he knew that the country must be indifferent to the East China government's participation in the war, and the British did not want to see the East China government rise in the Far East, and Japan was still an ally of Britain, so to be honest, the East China government's participation in the war could have touched the terms of the [Anglo-Japanese Alliance Treaty].

Of course, MacDonald knew very well that although Britain and Japan had signed an alliance treaty, they did not want to get involved in the war. MacDonald could not tell what kind of action he would take at home, and although he had sent a telegram back home to ask what position he should take, it was still night in England, and the cabinet still needed to discuss it, so I am afraid that the results would not come out until tomorrow, and he would not be able to give Japan any promises now.

Still, MacDonald received the two very warmly. On behalf of the Japanese Government, Komura Shoutaro conveyed the attitude of the Japanese Government to MacDonald, and said that the participation of the East China Government in the war would also be a great damage to British interests, and he hoped that Britain would give strong support to Japan, otherwise if Japan lost the war, it would be very unfavorable to British interests whether Russia or the East China Government occupied the three northeastern provinces of China.

MacDonald said that Britain's support for Japan would not change, and that he had already informed China of the changes that had taken place in the Liaodong battlefield, and that urgent consultations were now underway in the country to discuss countermeasures, and he believed that the results would be achieved soon.

Ito Hirobumi and Komura Shoutaro have no objection to this, after all, such a major matter must be seriously discussed in the UK, but Ito Hirobumi proposed to MacDonald again, hoping that MacDonald can issue a statement of support for Japan in the name of Britain, but MacDonald said that he has no right to make any statement in the name of the country, which requires domestic authorization, of course, he will apply to the country.

In fact, Macdonald, as an ambassador to a foreign country, of course, has the right to express his position on behalf of the country, but this is under ordinary circumstances, and now it is obviously not an ordinary situation, so he must be cautious in expressing his position at this time, and if he makes a mistake, then his political future will be over.

Ito Hirobumi and Komura Shotaro were a little disappointed by MacDonald's answer, but this was the internal affair of another country, and neither of them could force it, but then Ito Hirobumi proposed to MacDonald that Japan wanted to negotiate an armistice with Russia, hoping that Britain could mediate and exert influence on Russia. As soon as MacDonald heard this, he immediately understood the intention of the Japanese government, which was indeed the best choice for Japan at present, and it was also beneficial to Britain, because until the Russo-Japanese War was fought, Britain had already considered establishing a military alliance with France and Russia to contain Germany, and Japan was an ally of Britain, so if Japan and Russia turned enemies into friends and jointly confronted the East China government, they could even establish a four-nation alliance, with Britain, France, and Russia controlling Europe, and Russia and Japan controlling Asia.

So MacDonald immediately said that he appreciated this proposal very much, and said that he would put it forward to China and actively promote it. When Hirofumi Ito and Shoutaro Komura heard this, they were a little relieved, so they said goodbye and left.

When Ito Hirobumi and Komura Shotaro returned to the cabinet, the draft of the government statement had already been released, and after reading it, they proposed some revisions, and it was officially published.

Due to the time difference, the other countries have not yet expressed their stance on the East China government's participation in the war, so the East China government has not replied to the Japanese government's statement, and is prepared to wait for tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, after all governments have expressed their positions, and then make a unified reply, but the East China government is also ready for a war of public opinion.

At 2 o'clock in the afternoon, the two battleships, the Ocean and the Yang, left the port of Qingdao and sailed for Lushun after a short period of repair. At 5 o'clock in the afternoon, a transport fleet had already arrived in Lushun and sent the 1st Division, the 6th Division and the 1st Reserve Regiment of the 1st Army to the shore position in Lushun.

Liu Tie, the commander of the 1st Army, was originally the deputy commander of the 1st Division, and after Luo Yue went to the Marine Corps, he took over as the division commander, and when the 1st Army was formed, he was naturally the commander of the 1st Army. In fact, Luo Yue and many high-ranking officers of the 1st Army have worked together for many years, and have passed through a lot of battlefields, it is not an exaggeration to say that they are friends of life and death, and now everyone can fight side by side together, so they are also very happy.

After the arrival of the 1st Army, the strength of the People's Army in Lushun has reached more than 40,000 people. However, because the facilities at the landing site are too simple, after all, it has only been a day since the People's Army landed in Lushun, and it is not possible to build any useful wharf to set up, so now only 75 mm guns can be transported ashore, and no matter how large-caliber artillery can be transported, but the People's Army is equipped with a large number of mortars, and Luo Yue also received a notice from Qingdao, knowing that at about 5 o'clock in the morning, two more battleships will arrive, plus his own firepower, Luo Yue also thinks that the time has come to attack Port Arthur.