Japan Is On The Side Of The Free World

Wanganui Chronicle, 20 December 1950, Page 5

Japan Is On The Side Of The Free World

NEW YORK, Dec. 18 (Reed. 8.45 p.m.).—Japan was "definitely and irrevocably” on the side of the free world, the Japanese Prime Minister, Yoshida, said today in an article in the United States magazine “Foreign Affairs.” “If that does not suit the other side, we can’t help it,” he added. Japan’s eventual peace treaty was likely to omit the Communist countries. “Japan prefers a peace treaty with as many nations as possible to no peace at all. We can ill afford to sit on the fence vaguely waiting for something that would not happen in the predictable future. "The Japanese authorities do not know what, should be the conditions of peace. This is a treaty Japan will conclude as a defeated nation foj; the first time in her history, and it is likely to prove a bitter pill for us to swallow. But we are prepared to take our punishment. We are resolved to redeem our mistaken past by fulfilling the peace terms, whatever they may be, with all the sincerity and good faith which we have shown in the discharge of our obligations under the instrument of surrender during the past five years.” Yoshida said it was not surprising that agreement had not been reached on the “peace treaty since differences in aim between the democracies and Communism were “absolutely irreconcilable." Now with the cold war turned hot in Korea, it is difficult to see how the two worlds could get together. Any attempt at. appeasement or compromise by the world's free nations was unthinkable, and a change of heart by the Soviet Union could not be expected. Yoshida said Japan had been demilitarised mentally and physically. The.problem of Allied security had been solved, and there was no menace from Japan. But there was a menace to Japan in the recent advances of Communist forces in the Far East. Japanese has been “happily, infinitely relieved and moved” by the alacrity and unanimity with which the freen nations rallied under American leadership to repel the aggressor. “We know now defenceless Japan will not be left undefended in her hour of need. It is with abiding faith in the solidarity of the ft-ee nations that we shall look to the United Nations for the protection of our liberty and independence.” Mr. Yoshida expressed the hope that Japan would be admitted to the United Nations. He said Japan was ready and anxious to join and do to its full share and make sacrifices in any arrangement for international co-operation to ensure the security of the Pacific.