EFFECT OF TOKIO DECLARATION

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 174, 26 July 1939, Page 5

EFFECT OF TOKIO DECLARATION

Pledge Given Not to Obstruct Japan

(British Official Wireless.} RUGBY, July 24. The agreement reached between the British Ambassador to Tokio, Sir Robert Craigic, and the Japanese Foreign Minister, Mr. Arita, does not connote any change whatever in British policy in China. This point was made by the Prime Minister, Mr. Chamberlain, in a statement in the House of Commons. Mr Chamberlain said: “Since July 15 preliminary conversations have been proceeding in Tokio between Sir Robert Craigio and Mr Arita before starting negotiations for a settlement of the situation at Tientsin. At the outset of the discusa'.ons, Japan expressed the view that, if progress were to be made in the removal of misunderstandings and the establishment of better relations, it was essential to recognise the background against which the situation at Tientsin should be viewed.” This, said Mr Chamberlain, had nothing to do with Britain’s China policy, but was a question of fact. Hostilities were proceeding in China on a large scale. The Japanese Army had to provide for its own security and maintain public order in the occupied areas, and was therefore obliged to take action to see that these causes were not prejudiced. In order to clear the way for the Tientsin discussions, the British Government accordingly had agreed upon the following formula with the Japanese Government: “His Majesty’s Government recognises the actual situation in China, where large-scale hostilities are in progress, and notes that, as long as that state of affairs continues, the Japanese forces in China have special requirements for the purpose of safeguarding their own security and maintaining public order in the regions under their control, and have to suppress or remove any acts or causes that will obstruct them or benefit their enemy. f “His Majesty’s Government has no intention of countenancing any acts or measures prejudicial to the settlement of the above-mentioned objects by the Japanese forces, and takes this opportunity to confirm its policy in this respect by making plain to the British authorities and British nationals in China that they should refrain from sucli acts and measures.” Replying to a question, Mr Chamberlain said that future discussions would be confined to local issues at Tientsin and that the declaration did not connote any change whatever in British policy in China. In the course of his statement, Mr Chamberlain said: “The general position at Tientsin is unchanged, and no incidents have been reported. The milk situation is fairly satisfactory. Supplies are good, but continue to be subject to delays at the barriers.” In the House of Lords, the Foreign Minister, Lord Halifax, stated that it was understood between Sir Robert Craigio and Mr. Arita that the position and obligations of other Powers were unaffected. '

Britain bad urged on Japan the importance of discouraging Press recriminations and exaggerated claims, which were prejudicing the negotiations. He bad made strong representations regarding the anti-British agitation, and it was. anticipated that this would cease.

The Japanese Prime Minister, Baron Hiranuma, was reported to have said that, now that Japan had fixed its policy, they would control an agitation which was not in accordance with it.