BRITAIN & JAPAN

Hokitika Guardian, 26 August 1933, Page 5

BRITAIN & JAPAN

DEEP SUSPICION

MARKS TRADE NEGOTIATIONS.

(United Press Association—By Electrio

Telegraph—Copy right.)

LONDON, . August 25

The “Sydney Sun” representative says: “A very delicate situation confronts the British Empire in connection with the Japanese trade negotiations. Japan’s suspicions of Britain are deepseated. The Japanese Government, public, newspapers and industrialists are extremely sensitive, fearing that the British Empire is organising an anti-Japanese trade boycott. “The tension is increased by Yorkshire’s, Lancashire’s the Dominions’ and the Colonies’ allegations of slave labour, which the Japanese bitterly resent, and which allegations the British official quarters admit to. be unjustified. “It is recognised that Europe Is no longer able to compete with Jap-' an’s, China’s and India’s low grade manufactures which can never be displaced in the Far East. “Britain’s case contains several legitimate grievances. For example, Japan’s commercial success has been Largely developed by freedom off trade and navigation within the Empire. Tho Japanese' have refused the Empire a corresponding benefit. Further, more, the Japanese have refused to allow British ships to engage in in-ter-port trade in Japan. The Japaneseluxury traffic has hit Britain. Another severe blow was the expulsion of the British tobacco interests from Korea. Yet Japan has fiercely resented the action of BritaiffJ —then the only free trade nation—in reversing 1 her policy. The British realise that both sides have a case, and they will be guided by the principle that it would be useless to retailidte for the sake of retaliation. The British and Japanese must recognise that both would.suffer in the event of a violent, struggle.