The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-12-30
JAPAN WILL NOT
 INFRINGE ON CHINA
 STATES TAKAHASH|
Former Minister of Finance Talks of New Agreement Made With United
 States

Tokio, December 5.-GCorrespond- ence of the Associated Press.) )--Japan can do nothing likely to infringe upon the sovereignty of China and it seems certain that Tsingtau, the German port captured by the Japanese, will Ge re- turne5 to China and that the Jap anese will be obliged to withdraw their troops from Hankow, as a re- suit of the recent agreement between the United States and Japan under whoih the United States recognizes Japan's special interests in China, 1fe- cla, es Baron K. Takahashi, formerly Japanese minister of finance and 2 leading member of the Seiyukai party. This agreement was signed by Wis count Ishii and Secretary of State Lansing at Washington early in No yember.
 The special interests of Japan ac- knowledged in the combined. state- ment include nothing more than the rights hitherto acquired by Japan, Baron Takahashi adds in commenting on the agreement. "Hitherto," he says, "America doubted our attitude toward China and was always watching it, but by virtue of this agreement she wil, give up her careful watch. In this respect the new agreement is bet ter than none.
 Marquis Okuma, formerly premier. characterizes the agreement as a sig nal success for Viscount Ishii and adds that it officially recognizes facts which already existed. That viewpoint also is taken by some of the leading newspa pers such as the Herald of Asia which asserts that the notes eX- changed between Secretary Lansing and Viscount Ishii merely put on pa- r4rta al ia, istcnce." the result of which will be the clarifying of the whole political atmosphere in the far east. Hope is expressed by the Herald that the agreement will have beneficial effect upon "a small but very active group of men, mostly Americans, who have constituted themselves champions of China against the alleged Japanese aggression, and who have endangered the good understanding between Ja- pan and America by disseminating dis torted information concerning Japan csc policy in China"
 Asserting that American commercial interests in China have been and dt- ways will be safeguarded by Japan, the Ashai, one of the leading Tokio dailies. declares that by the agree ment China has gained most and America has gained more than Japan
 The Japan Times says that the siti ation which existed prior to the agree ment might have led to serious devel- opments between Japan and America which would have benefited only their common enemy Germany. "The Ishii- Lansing notes clear away all chance for international forces of evil to do their work. We regard these notes as the most important documents ever exchanged between the United States and Japan and as a vast improvement on any international agreement hith- erto covering the far east"
 Some criticism is expressed by the Nichi-Nichi, which declares that the Substances of the new note Is rather disadvantageous to Japan and that ''the United States seems to have suc- ceeded in infettering Japan's action in China" The paper points out that there are no understandings in the note about an "open door" territorial integrity and equal opportunity in Can-