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At his first
press conference there were about fifty journalists
assembled to talk with Mr Amau. Amau introduced them to
young Japanese diplomats who appeared very embarrassed.
They bowed to the journalists; some went to the English
and some to the Americans. Amau stated that:
“The Japanese
policy to China is to maintain peace and friendly
relations. It benefits to Japan to keep the peace in
East Asia. Japan has been standing like a watchdog in
East Asia. We have fought several times for that.
Other powers have an interest in China, but ours is more
vital. The Chinese question to us is a matter of life
or death. The British have a considerable interest,
which is not necessarily vital. The U.S. is interested
but only economically and commercially. China is a vast
country. At the beginning of the Washington Conference
(1922), Briand asked, “What is China?” China failed
to answer this. In 1920 Soviet Russia compiled a Treaty
with Outer Mongolia, by which each control ports in
respect of recognising the benefited Government. Since
then Outer Mongolia has sent an Ambassador to Moscow and
Moscow sent to Korea Government representatives.
In 1924, our
Government commanded a Treaty at Peking and Mukden with
the authority of China by which the Government respected
temporary integrity of China. Our Government was
helping the Sun Yat-sen Government in Canton. Borodin
represented the Government in Canton, and Canton
government was dealt with independently. Therefore at
the time Canton was the Facto authority. In 1920
Mongolia concluded a treaty with Soviets. In 1924
Mukden concluded a Treaty with Government. Today
Sinkiary is virtually under the influence of the Soviet
Outer Mongolia. The other day a Chinese Consul in
Novostrik, who was returning home to China had to apply
for visa from the Soviet authorities.
In the time
of the Tsarists, there was a conference in the presence
of the Tsar and it was discussed as how to find a way to
penetrate the Far East and reach the ports. A railway
route was finally decided upon through Siberia,
Manchuria, Harbin, Dairien and Port Arthur. In 1895 we
fought with China for the lease of Liaotung peninsula.
In 1895-1905 China concluded a secret alliance with
Russia. China promised materials for building of the
Russian Court. The Russians promised to help China in
the war between China and Japan.
“…We have
been endeavouring to maintain peace in the Far East.
China has had a civil war for 25 years, but we desire
China restored some day.
We expect
equal opportunities for foreign powers. League of
Nations attacked Japan, because Japan closed door on
China and made the China Sea a closed sea. But it is
not Japan, but the League of Nations who closed the
doors to Japan.
At the time
of the Manchurian Incident it was resolved by the League
of Nations (Feb 24th, 1933) that the China boycott since
September 18th 1931 is recognised as a reprisal. The
China boycott is legalised by the League of Nations
decision and the principle of open door was closed to
us. It was instigated by the Euro-American powers.
We are
concerned about any communist presence in East Asia, but
we have no intention of interfering with Chinese
internal affairs. Manchukuo will separate China and
Soviet Russia. We estimate there are 200,000 Soviet
troops on the border. We have no intention to fight,
but if the Soviets interfere with Manchukuo affairs, we
will fight. We must defend Manchukuo”.
At a later
press conference Mr Amau discussed British dominions
attitude to racism. In South Africa the restriction of
the Japanese immigrant was strictest. There, even the
consul had the greatest difficulty in entering a
restaurant or finding a hotel. Australia was very much
better. Japan only wanted free entry of their
merchants. Japan was not going to invade Australia. In
the Far East, Japan cannot compete with American but
only the German goods, especially toys and sundry
goods. “We import more from Germany than we export.
Germany is restricting Japanese goods, and in banking
and shipping they have a number of regulations by which
they impose many different conditions on Japanese
traders (shipping) e.g. currency. Germany proposes to
buy soya beans from Manchukuo and wants to sell more to
Japan. There is no political arrangement with
Germany.”
At the final
press conference Amau reviewed the current aviation
situation in Japan. It was different in Japan compared
with Britain and U.S. owing to the mountainous and
atmospheric conditions. In Manchukuo aviation was
proceeding very rapidly, because there were plenty of
landing places and atmospherics was good. The Japanese
Army and Navy made great progress. They were one of the
five largest aeronautic powers, but civilian aviation
was very poor. There was a lot of rivalry between
civilian, some of whom were without jobs, and army and
naval aviation. In Japan it was difficult to find
landing places as the land was over cultivated. He
emphasised the quality of the pilots, the number of
planes and aircraft carriers and the faith in German
airships. He informed the journalists that the Pacific
Aviation Co. would be organised in June or July to fly
from Tokyo to San Francisco, via the Aleutian Islands
and Alaska using Zeppelins. Since the Manchurian and
Shanghai troubles, the military flying corps had
improved greatly and they had increased their
equipment. In the recent Jehol conflict in Manchuria
the corps took part in the battle by bombing and carried
ammunition to the advancing army. In this region, where
the transport by land was very difficult, the supply of
goods and arms to the advancing army by aeroplane was
the only means available at the time.
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