PACIFIC PROBLEMS

Evening Star, Issue 19199, 16 March 1926, Page 6

PACIFIC PROBLEMS

POSITION OF OUR JAPANESE ALLY COHSUL-GEHERAL INTERVIEWED FOOD AND POPULATION • PROBLEMS. A different'aspect of the .Japanese population question from that usually presented to British people was outlined yesterday by Mr lyemasa Tokugawa (Consul-General for Japan m Australia and New Zealand, New Caledonia, and tho Pacific Islands) in the course of an interview with a *Star representative yesterday. _ Mr Tokugawa has been connected with the Japanese diplomatic service all his hie, and prior to taking up his present position was attached to the Japanese Embassy in London. “The question of population m Japan,” he said, “ is not so serious as the food problem, and if the question of easy access for food materials is solved tho situation will become much better. Even if relief of the congestion in another way was desirable, from the point of view of population, there is a far more important question—that of peace. Our nation has no desire to solve our domestic and economic problems by means of territorial expansion or the attainment of political ambitions. Public opinion in Japan would not support an aggressive method. In every country there are people who talk about tho possibility of war, and so on, but they are a negligible and irresponsible minority.” VALUE OF INTERCHANGE OF VISITS.. It was most important, lie added, that the peace of the Pacific should be secured at all costs, and with that purpose all the nations bordering on that ocean, including Now Zealand and Jfipan, should be determined to cooperate for tho attainment of that object. With regard to the recent visit of the American fleet, he would say that it was quite a nice thing for the navies of tho diifoient nations working in tho same ocean to meet ono another, if they could afford it. Tho Japanese navy luul sent the training ship Iwate to visit New Zealand lately, and • two years ago a training squadron of three ships had visited New Zealand waters. These interchange visits between navies were very desirable. Indeed, the advantage of all interchange visits between the peoples of such neighboring nations must be admitted. Sometimes a commercial mission was sent from Japan to Europe and America, and sometimes conferences of different kinds took place. This year a Pacific scientific conference was to take place at Tokio, lie understood, and men of learning from all tho countries of tlio Pacific would gather. That kind of thing not only served the good purpose for_ which the conference was called, but it also gave the visitors a chance to see tho country visited. PEACE THE FIRST THING.

Questioned upon the surplus population problem of his country, hlr Tokugawa was not prepared to say a great deal. Population was increasing rapidly, he stated, and that was certainly one of tho problems which Japan was facing. But economic questions, discussed in the light of the popular impression that Japan might take up an aggressive standing in regard to them, were liable to misinterpretation. All the countries bordering the Pacific should be determined to keep tho peace; not one of these countries should be tempted to do anything to jeopardise peace and safety. Whatever was done, the nations should be determined to keep the peace. This was the first thing needful if tho question of population or any other economic question was going to be settled.

“ If flu's principle was followed, and the spirit well founded.” _ said Mr Tokugawa, ‘‘whatever their requirements may he, those nations should not ho tempted to resort to aggressive steps. That being so, even if we could send our surplus population to other lands, we would not do it,_ Economic, questions should be tackled in the light of the universal desire for peace which now exists.”

Apart from this, he_added, Japanese people were not desirous of leaving their own country. Japan had her own land where there was still ample room for settling down the surplus population. Tiro people had formed a homeloving tendency, and did not wish to go out of the. country. That had been the, trouble. But the food question had got to be solved.

“ NOTHING AGGRESSIVE.”

JAPAN'S ATTITUDE IN PACIFIC

Replying to further questions as to Japan’s position in tho Pacific, Mr Tokugawa said:—“ People ask themselves sometimes, it seems, what Japan’s intentions in the pacific really are: and some of them may even go so far as to talk about tho possibility of Japan desiring to extend her territory by means of But I do not believe that the majority of the people in this part ol tho world have any .such anxiety or apprehension. To me, the idea seems, indeed, ridiculous. However, dealing with the point just for tho sake of argument, I might say that Japan, just like any other country, would have to defend herself if any pressure was brought to bear upon her In’ wav of attacking her own territorial integrity, or if Japan felt some menace to herself in consequence of any movement from outside on the Asiatic; mainland. 1 would point out all the older wars in which Japan took part in the past were fought to defend her rights or interests; and her participation in tho Great War was no exception to this rule, because Japan’s sea trade and shipping were largely endangered by the activities and aims of Germany. Japan also 'adhered faithfully to the stipulations of the Anglo-Japaneso Alliance, and our whole nut-ion was united in upholding tho righteous Allied cause. All Japan’s past wars, as I have said, have been in defence other own interests in tho Far East, and there is nothing aggressive in her motives and policy. Further, now that the economic considerations- —the _ industrial and commercial considerations —in relation to any possibility of war are getting to be more and more serious and pronounced, it would he all the more fatal for Japan to undertake any aggressive measures against any other country. trade marks for peace.

“ Take the United States, for instance. Our export of silk to America heads the list of all our exports; and, just for the sake of argument again, it is obvious that any war with America, for example, would mean the total breakdown of that important branch of our export trade. The same. I might say, applies in the case of other countries, such as Australia and New Zealand, from which wo take so much wool, and to which wo sell so much silk goods. Alore recently speaking, moreover, our traditional friendship with Great Britain would never allow us to think of any grave complications between Japan and any member of tho British Empire. The Anglo-Japaneso Alliance brought the British and the Japanese nations into closer relations; but, 1 would point out, it was not the Alliance itself that gave birth to tho friendship between us. It was, on tho other hand, the friendship between the two nations that formed the ioundation of the Alliance.

JAPAN’S RECORD IN GREAT WAR. “Hud we had any aggressive designs, I might be able to say—again just I'or the sake of argument—that wc could liave had no better opportunity of giving effect to them than when Australia and Now Zealand were so busy during tile Great War in sending assistance to

the seat of war in Europe. Japan could have intervened then, with tremendous effect against these dominions. But, as a matter of fact, as we all know, not only did Japan not do so, but to the utmost, of her power she assisted in convoying your Australian and New Zealand troops to Europe, and otherwise helped the Allies in every way she could. But it seems to me ridiculous to talk on these lines, even for tho sake of argument, as I have said. Since, however, you have asked me about the attitude-of Japan, in the Pacific, I have said what I have said, and it will no doubt help to clear tho anxieties and misapprehensions from the minds of those of your people —very few of them, If any, I am sure—to whom I have referred.”