THE PROBLEM OF JAPAN

Chronicle (Levin), 16 May 1949, Page 5

THE PROBLEM OF JAPAN

(N.Z'P.A.-

—Reuter,

Comments On Latest Moves By Uriited States

, comrigVtt)

... TOKIO, May 15 Japan. as the result of United States'suspension of reparati'ons deli'veriow ■ will grea'tly assist xn the reconstructina of the merchant shipping fleet now reduced to one-fourth the. prewar tonnage, states the Japanese News ' Agency Kvodo whxch added that Japau would retain 83 shipbuildxng yards with an annual eapacity of 800. tons. About one-third of the yards were pi'eviously marked for reparations. A large proportion of the 96 Govern•uerit arsenals and the whole of the 685 "ivilian factories desio-ned for reoara'ioixs, are also expocted to be retained. There are 175 of 301 factories previonslv engaged in the -aircraft indust^y. olready onerating an.d producing peace^ Hme goods. - The eeonomie ehief of the Chinese nisaiott to Tokio, Dr. Bannong Wa, pro "es^ed that all Japanese aircraft plants •rrivate mpriHi'ons- plants ahd-numerons supuortin'g industrics, would be left un* ''bxte'hed. 1 . The newspaper Asahx .said the Wash !ngton action- would create repercus--tons in' countri.es' with reparation Hainxs against Jaoan. "The .Tapane.se ueople must make it clear that their . -ulitarv faeilities heve been completelv -i^stroved and that the crtnutrv has lost •OI warring capacitv xn the true seuse nf the word.", The Japanese would •'ike the rest of the world to see hnw 'Lhev'used ekisting •pr'oduetive faeilities 'u a despetate attempt to reconstrui-t Mia nafioual eeoixomv and keep theTnselves alive.

The newsnaper Mainiehi commented 'bat the TJnxted States Government ,ntion had '.'recognisecl the eompletiou -f the task of disarming Japan." TTnited Sates eonfidence thus proved Giat .Tapapese industrv had been transpormed to Peaee industrv in evexw sense. of the word. The Japanese Government will Tenuire the Far Eastevn CoTrimissi'on to nbanden all reuarations elaxms, Kikui^bro Yamao'nchi, Director of the Reoarations Board. todav told the House of "Re'presehtatives foreian affairs Con; •nittee. Sueh a request was only natural if Japan was to regain her fleet •■"orioxnieallv. opinefl Yamagxlchi. The TTnited States, bv makihg its ransre obiectives clear. should be Jxle to overeome some of the dis'ppointment end resentment at its de mioTp'to stou Japanese reuarations, says he New York Times editorially. Tt ^hould eventauallv become clear that '^e Philippines, for instan.ee, has vastlv •' •uore to gain bv contihned assoe.iat.ion -rit.h a TTnited States that has been creed from the Japanese burden, than '+ eould .craiu bv the praetwal uavment •f a limited axnouut of Japaue.se re mrations. "The PhilippinCs has no 'hing to gain from a straitene.d rTult,ed States or bankrupt Japan." Re '•eving the American -taxpayer of the 'uirflen of .Tapan "as onlv a small naw ■r the pieture," savs the Times. "The 'lasie issue is, if the world is to have ■>eace and. demoeraey, that it must haxse •ocial and eeonomie health and that roes for our former enemies as welf a« for our Allies. " The Times deseribe'--s shortisighted the view that Ameri can. ooliey towards Germanv and Japan re ; leCts a determination to bxxild up. mili 'nrv bulwarks against the Soviet, The ^al bulwarks the TTnited States deires to build are against humau misery Tespair and ehaos. "When these hui *-arks hold, nations that now feel them 'elves to have been placed at a dis ■dvantage, may well reap beneflts that,rill far Putweigh any temporary gain" hat eould have been had from punitive •xaetion. "