JAPAN AND AMERICA

Hokitika Guardian, 29 March 1921, Page 3

JAPAN AND AMERICA

AMICABLE SPEECHES. I AUSTHAMAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. iVIvW YOBK, March 24. Baron Megata, Japan’s delegate at the Geneva Assembly of the League ot Nations, in a speech said: “I believe everybody left Geneva feeling that appreciable progress had been made towards the establishment of an intrnational association whose principal aim would be to prevent or lessen the chances of war. Nobody felt America’s absence nioi\. keenly than the Japanese delegates. Japan feeil.s itself drawn closely towards unity with the English speaking peoples in Eastern affairs.” Mi 1 Taft, in speech, pointed out that if Americans knew more concerning Japanese affairs and the Japanese more concerning the Californian situation, there would b,> loss friction. He added: ‘‘lf we look far into the future it is more likely that the institutions of Western civilisation will extend to Asia than that the star of Empire should talc,, the reverse course; and if we wish to be real friends to China, we should cultivate Japanese friendship and through her and by her co-operation, and, if necessary, friendly restraint accomplish America’s benign purpose in the Ear East.” • PROTECTION OK KISH ERIKS. TOKIO, March 2ti. It is learned that Japan has decided to send a battleship and four destroyers to Kamehatha to protect fishing enter prises. GOVERNMENT All) IN JAPAN. TOK 10, March 20. The Diet has authorised an advance of three million yen to the Japanese silk industry in order to overcome depression and maintain foreign markets.

i isk; kirk in tokio. 1 TOKIO, March 28. A tiro imperilling the whole city do- I stroyed a thousand houses in Totsuva j district, north-west section, involving the loss estimated at twenty-five | to fifty million yen. Thousands of per- j sons are homeless and 150 were injur- j ed. Three hospitals, a hank and other j large commercial establishments were • destroyed. A high wind blew the flames j towards the centre of the city, causing j a panic among the population. Five | thousand troops besides firemen com- j bated the blaze, but it was only when ; the wind ceased, after a four hours . blow, that the fire was controlled. The ■ streets were choked with fleeing refugees, carrying their possessions in carts loaded with furniture. The. confusion was heightened by the crowding in of spectators. Mounted police had the greatest difficulty to put down ineipent riots. The fire burned so fiercely that the glow in the heavens could be seen hundreds of miles away. The Diet' which was in session, rose on receipt of tho report; that the fire threatened Kure.