The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-01-07
MINISTER AOK
PRAISES U. S.
DECLARES JAPAN IS FRIENDLY
70 AMERICA.
DENIES AN INTERVIEW
Asserts That He Never said Any
thing psrooatory 70 This Country.
Admires the Way Americans Stick
Tooether-sorry He Must Go.

1o3e1nef-Sorty ne WO1k 40.
San Francisco. Jan. 4.--Viscount ..
Aok. Japanese ambassador at Wash.
ington, who arrived in San Francisco
last night enroute to Toxic. having
been recalled by his government at
his own request, in an interview with
the Associated Press tonight denied
the statement attributed to him In an
alleged interview last night In which
he was quoted as saying:
Japan IL restricting the emigration
Of laborers to this country and will
continue to do 50. and It would
be regarded az offensive to the dignity
Of Japan for this country to pass an
exclusion law or endeavor to embody
the subject in a treaty"
Such a statement did not emanate
from me-" emphatically declared the
ambassador in German, a language
with which he is much o familiar
than with English.
IT did not talk with any newspaper
men last night nor did I authorize any
one to speak for me, much less make
such a statement. Furthermore, Z
have not discussed the immigration.
question with anyone since I left
Washington, nor have / anything to
add to my farewell statement made
by me to the American people through
the Associated Press prior to my de-
parture. / am returning to Japan after
q long absence, to confer upon differ
ent matters, and I convey to the empe-
ror the best wishes and expressions Of
friendship from President Roosevelt
and. I believe. the American people.
Japan Is Friendly.
"The attitude Of Japan toward this
country Is OF the frienuliest character,
but the emigration question and other
matters OF policy between the two
countries are for statesmen and diplo-
mats and cannot be so freely discussed
In public"
Being able to express himself read
lily In German, the ambassador talked
at length,upon various topics. but de-
clined to discuss the Vancouver race
troubles, the immigration question in
general or comment upon the transfer
Of the batt1eship feet from the Allan
tic to the Pacific ocean. He laughed
heartily when shown a dispatch from
Paris which stated that the Japanese
fleet had disappeared from its GUS
tomary cruising ground and was re-
ported to be IN the vicinity OF Hawaii.
Ambassador Aoki, in response to q
question. said that the debt OF graft
tude Of Japan toward America was
50 great that no complaint could ever
change It. viscount Aoki said:
Spirit Of Unity In America.
During my brief but very happy
residence in the United States I have
had opportunities Of seeing what Is
greatest In the american people. But
that which most i'm. ressed me,
think, Is the spirit OF practical unity
which holds your people together over
50 vast q territory and under such q
variety Of conflicting local interests
III think there is no such homogenity
on such a large scale anywhere else
IN the world. You people believe IN
the motto Of Live and let live and
this Is not only because you have
learned from experience that such 9
course Is the best policy, but because
you are naturally generous.
ITO the extent that this spirit has
been extended to our people and O
country Z am prepared to bear cheer
full and grateful testimony. From YOU
distinguished president down to the
humblest citizen / have discovered ne
spirit 50 great as that to be helpful
and just.
at Is pleasant for me to be able
to assure you of these things just al
I sail from your shores and after 81
pleasant a sojourn in your midst, ant
I feel freer to speak the honest die
tates OF my heart in this regard be
cause OF the recent freddy assurances
reported to have been sent by my soy
ereign through Secretary Taft to you
great president. Japan wants peac'
with America now and always, and snt
will omit no effort to make that de
sire a reality: / am convinced tina
America r~eciprocates that good will
and shall bear that report Gro tn
ocean,"
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