While debates continued within the Japanese government between factions including Jutaro KOMURA, Taro KATSURA, and Aritomo YAMAGATA and an anti-war faction including Hirobumi ITO and Kaoru INOUE, these discussions were mirrored in the public sphere by an pro-war petition circulated by seven professors (Seven Professor's Petition) including Hirondo TOMIZU and an anti-war argument and discussion by Shusui KOTUKU which was published in the Yorozuchoho (a daily newspaper).
日本政府内では小村寿太郎、桂太郎、山縣有朋らの対露主戦派と、伊藤博文、井上馨ら戦争回避派との論争が続き、民間においても日露開戦を唱えた戸水寛人ら七博士の意見書（七博士建白事件）や、万朝報紙上での幸徳秋水の非戦論といった議論が発生していた。