£2,800,000 FOR A GOLF COURSE IN JAPAN!

Chronicle (Levin), 18 January 1947, Page 5

£2,800,000 FOR A GOLF COURSE IN JAPAN!

COSTLY AMENITIES FOR OCCUPATION FORCES. Received Sunday, 9.50 p.m. LOXDOX, Jan. 17. Tlie News Chronicle's special Tokio correspondent says Japanese linancial experts estimate that at least half tlie Japanese Budget for 1947 will go to pay the expenses of the various oecupation forces. The Japanese Government complained to General MacArthur about the higli cost of some of tlie amenities ' provided. It points out among other | things-. that .the golf links at Kyoto j-wilj. cos| £2,800.,OQO,' aiui special playing .fieltls, iifeludSiig tdimis' courts, baseball grounds and playgrounds constructed in the outer grounds of Meiji Slirine .will j cost nearly ' £1,000,000. (Jlassifyiug j these various expenditures, which it I considers of "doubtful value, " the ! Japanese GovernriTent estimates that £23,000,000 has been wasted. Alarmed by the nxounting costs the Occupation Supreme Headquarters has forbidden further lavislv expenditure and is refusing requests for entourages of servants in military establishments. The Finance Minister (Mr. Tansan Ishibaslii) told foreign correspondents that the occupation costs constitute onetliird of Japan's eurrent budget and will total 3,800,000,000 yen for the period September 1, 1945, to March 1, 1947. He added that at least 20 per cent. represents excessive charges by Japanese contractors for the construetion of homes and other buildings. The official , exchange rute of the yen is 15 to the United States dollar, but the present purchasing value is 75 to the dol lar. Mr, Ishibaslii said one-tliird of Japan's basie production materials wero being used ' by the occupation forces, thereby retarding industrial recovery and making intlatiou worse.