BRITAIN & JAPAN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 July 1941, Page 6

BRITAIN & JAPAN

MR ANTHONY EDEN’S I SURVEY ACTION AGAINST AGGRESSION REPLY TO ENCIRCLEMENT ALLEGATION. STOPPAGE OF OIL SHIPMENTS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received 'I nis Day, 10.20 a.m.) RUGBY, July 30. In a statement in the House of Commons on the Far Eastern situation, the Foreign .Secretary (Mr Eden) recalled that on July 25 he informed the House ol the imminence of a Japanese-Vichy agreement. “It is now known,” he continued, “that the Vichy Government has acceded to Japanese de- ; mands for the occupation of two naval bases, at Cam Ranh Bay and Saigon, : and eight air bases in South Indo-China and the occupation is already in progress.” Dealing with measures taken by his: Majesty's Government, as a result of this agreement, Mr Eden said: “The House will not expect me to describe in detail the defence measures which, as I announced as early as July 25, have already been in force in MalayaJ . In the economic sphere, the countermeasures taken by the American and Netherlands Governments and the Governments of the British Commonwealth, are known, as they been reported in the Press. The efl oct of the control of Chinese credits is to halt all financial transactions on Japanese account, whether for the financing of trade or other purposes, which are not licensed by the authorities in the United States, Netherlands East Indies, or the Governments of the British Commonwealth. The object is to prevent the evasion, in those parts of China occupied by the Japanese, of the effect of the order freezing Japanese assets, and to enable assistance to be given to Chinese economy by releasing such assets only for approved purposes. Steps have also been taken to withdraw ships’ warrants from Japanese shippinglines. I take this opportunity to announce that Ais Majesty's Ambassador in Tokio, on behalf of they Governments of India and Burma as well as that of the United Kingdom, has given notification to the Japanese Government of the termination of the AngloJapanese Treaty of Commerce and Navigation of 1911, and the supplementary convention of 1925, covering commercial relations between Japan, India and Burma. As a party to the 1911 treaty, his Majesty’s Governments in Canada and New Zealand, in respect of their own trade agreement with Japan, have each made a similar notification to the Japanese Government. It is a mat- | ter for regret that relations with Japan i should have reached their present ; stage, but the fault does not lie with his ; Majesty’s Government. Japan comI plains of encirclement, yet it is Japan herself who, by successive acts of aggression, has drawn closer together in self-defence the countries which lie in her path, and whose territories and in- ' forests are ever more sharply threaten- ■ cd. I cannot believe that statesmanship in Japan is entirely dead or blind, and I sincerely trust that those responsible for the destinies of the Japanese Empire will reflect while there yet is time '■ where their present policy is leading ■ them." Replying to questions, Mr Eden said 1 that while each of the Governments : would be responsible for its own ac- . tion in granting a licence in respect of i any transaction, the matter of exercis- : ing control would'proceed by consultation. i Mr Eden emphasised that the domin- > ant principle of his Majesty’s Governi ment’s attitude would be the furtheri ance of the British war effort. He statr ed that there had not for a long time I been oil deliveries to Japan. ' AMERICAN PROPERTY i SEIZED BY JAPANESE, f 1 ACCORDING TO SHANGHAI i REPORTS. r J (Received This Day. 9.15 a.m.) SHANGHAI, July 30. 1 It is learned that the Japanese have - stationed Chinese gendarmes around a I United States firm, the National Carbon Company’s distributing office at s Tsinan, in the Shantung Province, anq s have also stationed guards at the a Hong Kong-Shanghai Bank offices at . Swatow. British and American Consular officials and business men are watching closely for signs of activity by the Nanking regime, which it is , thought will take the iniative, by “protectively seizing” British and American properties in Japanese-controlled territory, to which British and American retaliation is impossible, since the Nanking regime has no freezable foreign credits. The United States consulate has confirmed that the Japanese military authorities in Northern China have begun seizing American property. * ITALY IMPATIENT f e WANTS JAPAN TO ENTER WAR. (Received This Day, 12.30 p.m.) ROME, July 30. c The Italian Press is impatiently s pressing Japan to enter the war and urges comparison with Italy, which, x “despite a more exposed position, riskl.f ed war last year.”