JAPAN’S INDUSTRY

Grey River Argus, 27 August 1946, Page 5

JAPAN’S INDUSTRY

FOR REPARATIONS MacArthur’s Long List TOKIO, August 24. General MacArthur has listed plants in Japan as potential reparations for Allied nations. The list embraces all of the privately-owned munition plants, all of the sulphuric acid plants capable of producing more than thirty-five hundred thousand tons annually; one half of all the thermal electric power generating plants; twentv-two iron and steel plants; one Half of the machine tool industry; nineteen soda ash, caustic soda, and chlorine plants; ninety per cent, of the ball bearing and rollerbearing industry; also the country’s ship building capacity for steel ships of over one hundred tons in excess of that necessary to build 150 thousand tons annually, and to service a fleet of three million tons. The Japanese Government has 1 been directed to furnish all of the necessary assistance in dismantling the factories. However, some may continue in operation until subsequent orders. The Associated Press Says: These industries are additional to those already listed for reparations, including aircraft factories, and Government arsenals.

Whaling Equipment WANTED FROM JAPAN. CANBERRA, August 25. Australia will ask General MacArthur to include Japanese whaling equipment in Australia’s reparations. A Government spokesman said that Australia’s representative on th e Far Eastern Commission in Tokio (Mr. McMahon Ball) would make this request. The success of Australia’s application depended on General MacArthur’s assessment of Japan’s economic needs. The spokesman added that General MacArthur might decide that Japan’s need for food was more urgent than Australia’s need to reenter the whaling industry. If equipment is awarded as reparations the Commonwealth will hold a conference with the State Governments to discuss Australia’s whaling plans. If Australia is not awarded Japanese equipment, several seasons might elapse before the Commonwealth can get sufficient to enter seriously into the industry.