DEFENCE MEASURES BY BRITAIN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 247, 31 July 1941, Page 5

DEFENCE MEASURES BY BRITAIN

TRADE TREATIES WITH JAPAN. ABROGATED BY DEMOCRACIES (United Press Association—Copyright,) (Ree. 10.20 a.m.) LONDON, July 30. In the statement on the Far Eastern situation, Mr R. A. Eden recalled in the House of Commons that last Friday he had informed the House of the imminence of a Japanese-Vicliy agreement.

“It is now known,” the Foreign Secretary continued, “that the Vichy Government lias acceded to the Japanese demands for the occupation of two naval bases, at Cam Ranh Bay and Saigon, and eight air bases in South Indo-Cliina, and that the occupation is already in progress.” Dealing with the measures taken by his Majesty’s. Government as a result of this agreement, Mr Eden said: “The House will not expect mo to describe in detail the defence measures which, as I announced as early as Friday, have already been in force in Malaya. 11l the economic sphere, the countermeasures taken by tho American and Netherlands and East Indies Governments and tho Governments of the British Commonwealth are known, as they have been reported by the press. The effect of the freezing of Chinese credits is to halt all financial transactions on Japanese account either for financing trade or other purposes which are not licenced by the authorities of the United States and the Netherlands East Indies or the Governments of the British Commonwealth. The object is to prevent evasion in those parts of China occupied by the Japanese or the effect of tho order freezing Japanese assets and enable assistance to be given to Chinese economy by releasing such assets only for approved purposes. Steps have also been taken to withdraw ships’ warrants from Japanese shipping lines. “I take this opportunity to announce that his Majesty’s Ambassador at. Tokio, -on behalf of the Governments of India and Burma, as well as of the United Kingdom, has given notification to the Japanese Government, of the termination of the Anglo-Japanese Treaty of commerce and navigation of 1911 and the supplementary Convention of 1925, covering commercial relations between Japan and India and Burma. As party to the 1911 treaty, his Majesty’s Governments in Canada and New Zealand, in respect to their own trade agreements with Japan, have each made similar notification to the Japanese Government “It is a matter of regret that relations with Japan have reached the present stage, hut the fault does not lie with his Majesty’s Government. Japan complains of ' encirclement, yet it is Japan who, by successive acts of aggression, jlias drawn closer together in self-defence the countries which lie in her path and whose territories and interests are ever more sharply threatened. I cannot believe that statesmanship in Japan is entirely dead or blind, and I sincerely trust that those responsible -for the destinies of the Japanese Empire will reflect, while there is yet. time, where the policy is leading them.”

Replying to questions, Mr Eden said that all the Governments would be responsible for their own action in granting a licence in respect to any transaction. The matter of exercising control would proceed by consultation. Mr Eden emphasised that the dominant principle of his Majesty’s Government’s attitude would be the furtherance of the British war effort. He stated that there bad not for a long time been deliveries of oil to Japan.— British Official Wireless.