MR EDEN AND THE FAR EAST

Northern Advocate, 9 January 1936, Page 7

MR EDEN AND THE FAR EAST

SAID TO BE SEEKING AGREEMENT WITH JAPAN [“The Times’’ Cahlej (Received 10 a.m.) LONDON, January 7. The Tokio correspondent of “The Times” says the statement is made by the London correspondent of the newspaper “Asahi Shimbun” that the British Foreign Secretary,.; Mr Anthony Eden, foreseeing the failure of the Naval Conference, is contemplating an agreement with Japan regarding the Far East, and with the Soviet concerning the Near and Middle East. Commenting on this, the Japanese Foreign Office spokesman observed that, Japan already bad discussed China with Britain, and it was premature to assume that the Naval Conference would fail. Besides these questions, however, there Were other issues outstanding. These were mainly commercial, such as the right of entry of Japanese merchants into British territory. The spokesman quoted as an example the Australian restriction on Japanese wool buyers. Japan was prepared for a discussion on all matters where interests conflicted, but considered it was useless to discuss British and Japanese interests in China separately from other interests. The “Asahi Shimbun,” embellishing the Foreign Office spokesman’s statements, points out that the British Dominions and territories, covering one-quarter of the earth, are wholly or partly closed to Japanese immigrants and goods. Therefore, a general settlement should precede negotiations as regards China.

Anti-British Articles. The “Daily Herald’s” Tokio correspondent says a series of violent antiBritish articles have suddenly started appearing in prominent Japanese papers, stressing Britain’s “military and! industrial decline” and also her inability to further develop her colonies, while Japan remains land starved. The influential “Kukumin” quotes Mr Baldwin’s speeches on the weakness of the British army and navy and says that the youth of Britain is now reluctant to fight, instancing the Oxford Students’ vote, “that this house should not fight for King and Country.” The journal adds that Japan may well come into conflict with Britain in her development of the south. The article does not mention Australia by name, but emphasises Japan’s need for territory to accommodate her increasing population. ■ ■