Japanese Greeting

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVI, Issue 88, 30 March 1926, Page 5

Japanese Greeting

Earth’s One Family IDEALS OF PEACE AND JUSTICE. PACIFIC A REGION OF NEW HOPE (Per Press Association). Wellington, March 29. The following from the Prime Minister of Japan regarding the visit ot the Consul-General for Australia lias been forwarded the Prime Minister (Mr. Coates):— “The visit to New Zealand of lyemasa Tokugawa, Consul-General of Japan at Sydney, furnishes to Reijiro Wakatsuki. Prime .Minister of Japan, an opportunity of which he desires to take advantage to recall the heroic days when the forces of New Zealand and Japan were arrayed together to secure peace and justice as the only guarantee of the sale and harmonious development of civilisation. Peace and justice have hcen attained, and it is Wakatsuki’s firm conviction, strengthened by the recent progress of events, that New Zealand and Japan will now co-operate with all their might in the free atmosphere thus created to further the welfare and progress of mankind by the encouragement of sound business, the increase of trade and commerce, the promotion of mutual knowledge and individual good relations, and by every other means calculated to improve the condition of humanity. “New Zealand has always been noted for her enterprise in dealing with the problems presented by modern commerce. Japan has much to gain from more frequent and familiar intercourse with her, and she modestly hopes that the gain may be reciprocal. The old jealous diplomacy is decayed and disappearing. It is an outworn relic of tribal barbarism. Modern statesmanship realises that the nations of the earth are one family and that each finds its truest advantage in the prosperity of all. Relying on this, wo may fearlessly face the future and make the Pacific a region of new hope for the much tried world.’’ PREMIER’S REPLY. The Prime .Minister’s reply, forwarded through the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, is as follows ;— “The New Zealand Government has received with much gratification your message, which has been personally delivered by .Mr. lyemasa Tokugawa, Consul-General at Sydney. The Ministers greatly appreciate the cordial and friendly sentiments to which expression is therein given. New Zealand will ever remember with gratitude the assistance of the Japanese Navy in the transport of her military forces in the early stages of the Great War and her alliance with the British nation throughout the whole of those anxious years. New Zealand will bo glad to co-operate with Japan in everything that makes for tho uplift of humanity and for the maintenance of the most friendly relations between our two countries. If the nations whose shores border on the Pacific Ocean are animated by similar feelings, there is no reason to fear for the future peace and prosperity of their citizens.”