JAPAN’S NAVAL POLICY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19952, 9 November 1934, Page 9

JAPAN’S NAVAL POLICY

IMPORTANT TALKS IN LONDON

ORIENTAL POLICY UNDER SCRUTINY British Official Wireless (Received November 8. 5.5 p.m.) RUGBY, November 7. The London bi-lateral naval conversations were continued when a formal meeting between the British and Japanese delegations was held, the Prime Minister presiding. A brief communique stated that the discussion on the Japanese proposals continued. These proposals, inter alia, substitute equality for the differential rates of naval strengths fixed by the Washington Treaty, but they have so far proved unacceptable to both the American and British delegations. In their present stage the conversations have been directed towards bringing the three Powers into line, but the confidential nature of the talks is being strictly observed. For the present no further formal meetings have been arranged, but individual members of all delegations are in close contact with one another. A hopeful feature of the exchanges so far is the evidence that they have given that all parties are united in a desire to prevent a reversion to open and unregulated competition. Parliament Interested. The Foreign Secretary, Sir John Simon, was asked in the House of Commons if he could state whether the Japanese Government still stood by the principle of the open door as it applied to Manchuria, and whether the Japanese Government’s creation of an oil monopoly was an infringement of that principle. Replying. Sir John Simon said that the United Kingdom had communicated their views on the proposals for a monopoly to the authorities in Manchuria and the Japanes Government. He had not yet received a reply to this communication and would prefer in the meantime not to pronounce conclusions on the matter. Replying to another question. Sir John Simon said that in view of the strictly commercial and non-political character of the Federation of British Industries* unofficial mission to Manchukuo and Japan, the question of the British Government’s approval of the mission had not arisen. The Government’s attitude towards the question of recognition of the present regime in Manchuria continued to be governed by the principles embodied in the resolution taken by the League of Nations Assembly on February 24.