AMERICA’S CLAIM

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22316, 29 April 1947, Page 5

AMERICA’S CLAIM

30 P.C. OF PLANT JAPAN’S INDUSTRIES INTERIM DISTRIBUTION (10 a.m.) WASHINGTON, April 28. The United States will claim 30 per cent of all internal Japanese industrial equipment and assets available for reparations, says the United Press, The claim will be considered at a closed session of the reparations committee of the Far Eastern Commission in Washington on May 5. The United States proposed to transfer some of its share of reparations to Korea in reimbursement for some of tho losses it has suffered during 40 years under the Japanese. It is expected that the United States will back up its claifn with the assertion that it has reparations claims of about 150,000,000,000 dollars against the Japanese. It is uvderstood that the United States will suggest that China receive a 45 per cent share of the reparations, with the remaining 25 per cent to be divided among the other nine claimants, including New Zealand and Australia. Dollar Value Not Established All claims at this stage will be submitted on a percentage basis, because the actual dollar value of Japanese equipment for removal as reparations has not been established. Diplomatic sources said the commission’s sudden willingness to approach a showdown on a final reparations settlement is clue mainly to a recent United States order to General MacArthur instructing him to go ahead on an interim basis and distribute 30 per cent of the available reparations, of which China will receive 15 per cent, and Britain, Netherlands and Philippines each 5 per cent. The fear has been expressed in some quarters that unless the commission reaches a final decision soon, the United States will proceed with interim plans until nothing of value remains. The United States intends to insist that liquid assets in Japan such as 200,000,000 dollars worth of gold will not be subject to reparations. The United States has staked out first claim to these assets as well as the proceeds of Japanese exports to pay the cost of occupation and relief food shipments to Japan.