Setting 12-Mile Zone, Then Meeting Japan

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30940, 22 December 1965, Page 1

Setting 12-Mile Zone, Then Meeting Japan

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, Dec. 21. The Prime Minister, Mr Holyoake, tonight affirmed New Zealand’s intention to establish the 12>mile fishing zone from January 1,1966.

Earlier this week in Tokyo, the Japanese Foreign Minister announced that three officials were being sent to New Zealand to step up negotiations for Japanese fishermen’s safety in operations off these shores. The Ministry was quoted by Reuter as saying the Japanese Government held the view that Japan was not bound under international law by the domestic law of New Zealand on the fishing zone.

However, Japanese fishermen operating off New Zealand would be gravely affected if the New Zealand law went into effect without any assurance for Japanese fishermen’s safety, the Tokyo announcement said.

Tonight Mr Holyoake said that in view of the good relations existing between New Zealand and Japan, the visit of the Japanese officials to discuss fisheries questions would be welcomed. The fact that the two countries held different views on the international legal aspects of such questions would not prevent amicable discussions.

The Japanese had “never publicly accepted any area as a fishing zone beyond the three-mile limit in any country" and the present statement affirmed that attitude.

Mr Holyoake had already informed Parliament that New Zealand had discussed the matter with the Japanese and "they knew in advance that we intended introducing legislation.” “It had always been the intention that after the passing of the bill and before it came into opention, we would be

carrying out further discussions through diplomatic channels with the Japanese,” he said.

The forthcoming visit therefore, would present an opportunity to discuss “the practical problems arising from the application and the operation of the zone,” Mr Holyoake said. '