REPARATIONS BY JAPAN: U.S. POLICY ATTACKED

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 May 1949, Page 6

REPARATIONS BY JAPAN: U.S. POLICY ATTACKED

WASHINGTON, May 19.—The Philippines today charged that the United States was helping to revive Japan’s ability to wage war by calling off Japanese reparations shipments. General Carlos Romulo (the Philippines delegate) told the Far Eastern Commission that Filipinos “protest in the strongest possible terms” against the reparations decision.

“General Romulo charged also that Japanese ‘Zaibatsu’—industrial leaders—are sabotaging American efforts to restore Japan’s economy. “There is evidence that the Japanese economic crisis has been deliberately brought on by the Japanese themselves in order to arouse American sympathy and ensure American assistance,” he said. A strong protest against the reversal of the United States policy on Japanese reparations was also lodged before the commission by the Chinese representative, Dr AV. K. Lee. He said China believed the American views were contradictory to both the spirit and letter of a series of solemn international agreements and decisions on the Japanese reparations programme.

“Should these views prevail," a grave injustice • would be done to those countries which were the victims of Japanese aggression and suffered irreparable devastation,” he said. “Moreover, such views have not taken into consideration the security problem in the Pacific area. They are inconsistent with the basic principles and objectives of the occupation of Japan. In our opinion the United States statement on reparations represents a 'retrogressive step, and I am compelled to point out that, its policy is at variance with the position which the United States Government has so far taken on this problem. Therefore, the Chinese Government cannot concur in the views of the United States Government.”