JAPAN’S WARNING TO GENEVA

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19960, 19 November 1934, Page 7

JAPAN’S WARNING TO GENEVA

DEMAND FOR NAVAL EQUALITY SURRENDER OF MANDATES FIERCELY OPPOSED United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright TOKIO, November 16. Vice-Admiral Sankichi Takahashi, who yesterday succeeded Admiral Suetsugu as Commander of the combined Battle Fleet, declared that there was not the slightest question of Japan holding the mandated territory under her control regardless of leaving the League of Nations, and if the League or anybody else, tries to recover the Islands they will find the Imperial Navy fully prepared for every eventuality. He said the Navy would reject all treaty schemes for ficticious parity, such as were broached at London, and would be satisfied with nothing except full actual equality. Following the conclusion of the war, the Council of Five Great Powers gave Japan a mandate over the former German possessions north of the Equator. It is doubtful if the League of Nations has authority to take the mandate from Japan, the functions of the League being merely to see that the administration of the Islands conforms to treaty terms, forms to Treaty terms. These include the Marianne (or Ladrone) Islands, the Caroline Islands, and the Marshall Islands. Germany purchased the Marianne Islands from Spain for £840,000 in 1899. The Japanese population on October 1, 1930, numbered 19,835 and the natives 49,695. The largest island of the group Guam, is owned by the United States. The Carolines consist of about 549 coral isles, Ponape having 9499 inhabitants, Yap 6596 and Parso 9047. The total Japanese population of the group is 4271. The Marshall Islands consist of two chains, or rows, of lagoon islands. They first came under German rule in 1885. On April 1, 1932, the population was 456 Japanese, 15 foreigners and 9870 natives.