IS JAPANESE OCCUPATION WORTHWHILE?

Chronicle (Levin), 5 August 1946, Page 3

IS JAPANESE OCCUPATION WORTHWHILE?

• LONDON, Aug. 2. English and Einpii'e troops iu Japan, after ueafly six montlig ' occupation, ara openly asking if, unde'r tlie existiag circumstances, tlie present Empire Force in Japan is wOrtlnvh'ile, says Mr. A. P. Lachie MaeDonald. the Daily Mail's coTtespondent at Osaka. He suys that this opinion is shared by many oliieers and men from New Xealand, Australia,- India and Englaud. I One ofheer sunnned it up this wuv i "We soon learned that we had a thanlcless job in one of Ihe worst areas in Japan. Whatever the higlier levels may say, it wasn't long before -vve soldiers knew that our part of the Allied oc(iupation was to be simply a cinderella. We sit in ehee-rless rooms, and are without even deccnt leave centres. The Americans, who occupy every important Japanese city and tourist centre, have all tlie best of the European style liotels. " Another ofheer said: 'Tlie Japanese are well aware tliat we are poor rclutions. The Japanese know that all oftieial eontact with ihe Japanese local adminstration is retained by tlie Americans, whose Military Governmenl has a te'am in our area for the purpose. The Britisli, boforte''. ereeting partitions in buildings wliich the Americans porniitted them to requisition, must wai! six to eight weeks for permission from Yokohama or Tokio." A Scottish sergeant said: " Lf Londou doesn't know that Britain has been made to look like a fourth rate Povver in tlie eyes of the Japanese, Great iiritain isn't being well served in Japan."

Mr. MaeDonald adds; There would be less grousing and the national pride Would be enhanced if tlie Britisli Zone were extended to include ilie KobeOsaka area, which, before the war, was the main centre of British influence.in Japan.