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New Zealand Times, Volume LIV, Issue 12659, 20 January 1927, Page 7

NO INTERFERENCE

JAPAN’S POLICY IN CHINA FOREIGN POWERS CANNOT DICTATE TERMS NOW IMPORTANT DECLARATION By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Australian and N Z. Cable Association. TOKIO, January 18. What will probably be the last session of. the present Diet, which was elected in 1924, has opened. The House heard a remarkable speech by the Foreign Minister, Baron Sliidehara, who proclaimed that Japan so far had no reason to consider that China was infringing any rf Japan’s rights. Japan could not lavticipate in any raid upon China’s rights, ambitions, or policies. On the contrary, she would support China As long as China observed the laws recognised by the civilised world. DAY OF DICTATION GONE Baron Shidehara asserted that r.o foreign plans for the control of China,

proposed by any foreign nation to suit its own convenience, could now be imposed upon China, nor would China acquiesce in or submit to foreign dictation. He also proclaimed Japan’s eitire friendship with Soviet Russia, and definitely exploded the unjustifiable pessimism of those predicting a RussoJapanese war over Manchuria. WILL PROTECT HER OWN Sycney "Sun" Cable. Japan’s China policy, announced iii the Foreign Minister’s speech to the Diet, involves the strict protection of Japan’s legal rights in China, which he declared could not be abridged or modified. “This conceded,” he said, “the Chinese may fight for their long desire to establish such a form of government as seems best to themselves. Any form of foreign intervention seeking to impose any foreign-made plan upon the Chinese is bound to fail. “Japan is agreeable to the collection of surtaxes, provided the spirit of the Washington Treaty is observed and provided that adequate provisions are made reasonably to ensure that additional revenues do not go to the civil war or the private use of any faction. Provided that such guarantees are given, the resumption of the Customs Conference is desirable. At the conference Japan would welcome responsible representatives of both the North and South within the Chinese delegation.” i JIM.' l. M FRIENDLY WITH RUSSIABaron Shidehara denied the possibility of a Russo-Japanese dash over Manchuria, where the Soviet policy was one of trade only, the same as Japan’s. He regretted that America had not adjusted the question of immigration and discrimination, hut he was glad that a true understanding of -Japan’s pacifism was growing among ..Vmericans. The Prime Minister, in a speech, said, that Japan’s naval plans would only prevent a diminution of strength below the factor of safety, while the, matter of the reduction of the term of conscript service would be pushed.