BRITAIN AND JAPAN

Southland Times, Issue 22478, 14 November 1934, Page 7

BRITAIN AND JAPAN

NO SECRET NEGOTIATIONS. REPLY TO AMERICAN COMMENT. (British Official Wireless). Rugby, November 12. Mr Ramsay MacDonald, whose attention had been called to certain Press statements published in the United States relating to the London naval conversations, has authorized the following statement: — "I should like to have it thoroughly understood that the American representatives have been kept informed of what has passed between the Japanese representatives and ourselves during these conversations, just as the Japanese have been similarly informed of what passed between the Americans and ourselves. There is no truth in the story that there is intense secret activity between the British and Japanese on the economic and political fronts. “As regards Manchukuo and the Japanese and the situations which have been fully discussed in the Press, we have been asked neither secretly nor otherwise to consider any offer of concessions. So far as the Government is concerned the negotiations regarding the textile situation have been in abeyance for some months. For the industrial and commercial deputation recently in Japan the Federation of British Industries was solely responsible, and as .its members themselves stated it had no other status.” In the House of Commons Mr R. A. Eden stated in reply to a question that the opportunity had already been taken to emphasize to the Chinese Government the entirely non-political and unofficial character of the British industrial mission which recently visited Manchukuo.