Late News TOKIO MEDIATION OFFER

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 127, 22 February 1941, Page 12

Late News TOKIO MEDIATION OFFER

Matsuoka Explains ATTITUDE TO BRITAIN (Received Feb. 22. 12.30 a.m. i TOKIO, February 21. The Dotnei News Agency say< that the Japanese Foreign Minister. Air. Matsuoka, in an interview with the Japanese Press late last night explained that "as Foreign Minister in the Japanese Government he had never specifically offered mediation to any nation in the world tor the restoration of world peace.” Mr. Matsuoka explained that he had sent a memoradum to the British Foreign Minister, Mr. Eden, refuting British claims that Japan sought to dominate the Far East. He emphasized that as Japan was mediating in the Indo-Ch-ina dispute she was willing to mediate anywhere else in the world. This was merely a general statement of a peaceful desire and quite different from a specific offer to mediate in Europe. The "Asahi Shimbun’’ said that Mr. Matsuoka, while informing Britain in general terms of Japan’s willingness to mediate in any conflict, emphasized that if Britain adjusted her military preparedness and engaged in various operations on the supposition that au urgent situation was inevitable in the Pacific and the South Seas, Japan would naturally be compelled to take counter-measures. Therefore she "desired a prudent attitude on Britain's part.” The “Asahi Shimbun” earlier asserted that the message of the Japanese Foreign Minister, Mr. Matsuoka. to the British Foreign Secretary, Mr Eden, clarified Japan’s jieaceful intentions and said Mr. Matsuoka was expected to seize an opportunity shortly in a Diet session to relate the clrcum stances under which he dispatched the Note to Mr. Eden and also to acquaint the Japanese people “with Japan's readiness and purpose to act.”