ABSOLUTELY INCORRECT.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20312, 23 May 1934, Page 1

ABSOLUTELY INCORRECT.

Japan Not Fortifying Her Pacific Islands. TOKIO, May 15. Japanese press reports give what purport to be details *of an interview between the Japanese Foreign Minister (Mr Ilirota) and the leader of the Australian Mission (Mr Latham). Mr Latham had not communicated the proceedings to the Australian press representatives, considering that the interview was confidential. According to one news agency’s interpretation of the interview,' Mr Latham, besides indicating the Commonwealth Government’s plan to send a commercial representative to Tokio. agreed that a discussion of an Aus-tralian-Japanese trade agreement should start on Tuesday. Mr Latham, who, with his party, spent to-day in the distant Nikko hills district, confirms the intention to appoint a trade representative, says that otherwise he has not departed from his attitude, clearly defined in public speeches last week, that the mission will not enter into trade negotiations. Mr Latham’s statement is supported by a more sober account of the conversation by another news agency. “ The most satisfactory feature of my interview,” Mr Latham said, “ w r as Mr Hirota’s unqualified assurances regarding the reported fortification of the Japanese mandated islands in the Pacific.” He said that he discussed, with Mr Hirota the importance of Japan's rejoining the League of Nations as a step to the solution cf the Manchukuo problem. More than one nation was uneasy at the constant reports that Japan was fortifying the Marshall and Caroline Islands. Mr Hirota replied that this was absolutely incorrect, a denial which Mr Latham says he has confirmed elsewhere. Mr Latham urged Mr Hirota publicly and explicitly to state that Japan had not fortified and did not intend to fortify the islands, and recognised that under the terms of the mandate she was unable to fortify them, whether a member qf the League or not. Mr Hirota agreed that represented Japan's policy, and promised to consider the suggestion of making a public statement. Mr Latham also suggested that Japan should continue to report annually on this matter to the League. Mr Ilirota did not reply, but, according to a press account, he said later tnat Japan would do so.