PEACE FOR JAPAN

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22619, 23 April 1948, Page 5

PEACE FOR JAPAN

CHINA’S RETENTION OF VETO REPARATIONS RIGHTS NANKING, April 21. A proposal that the veto be retained by all four Allied Powers in writing the Japanese peace treaty and that a conference be held within China was among the resolutions adopted by the Chinese National Assembly today. Stating that China had suffered losses amounting to more than 30,000 000,000 United States dollars and casualties “which remain difficult to estimate," the proposal said that, in the preamble to the peace treaty, mention should be made that China had made the greatest sacrifices and contributions towards victory over Japan ana that Japan s war of aggression began with the Mukden incident in 1931 and not with the attack on Pearl Harbour 10 years later. The proposal said that Japan's sovereignty should be restricted to the four ,main islands, and that the question of the Ryuku Islands should be settled on a “reasonable basis, taking into consideration China’s historical connections with the islands and China’s defence needs."

China, with its longest period ot fighting the Japanese, should be entitled to more than 50 per cent, of the total allocation of reparations, and should insist on a policy of “taking the hen instead of the eggs” and, therefore seek to obtain Japan’s productive factories.

Other provisions of the suggested blueprint for the Japanese peace treaty provide for the abolition of Japan s militaristic system and the elimination of war potentials The resolution concludes with the suggestion that Allied control be extended for a period of 50 years and that occupation forces be stationed at strategic centres to ensure complete and unreserved implementation of all the peace treaty provisions.