Norwich bulletin., 1921-07-04
ANGLo-JAP ALLIANCE NOT INSTRUMENT OF HOSTILITY

Washington, July 3.-Baron Shidehara, the Japanese ambassador in formal statement today discussing the Anglo Japanese alliance, declares that by no stretcn of imagination can it be honestly stated that the alliance was ever design ed or remoteiy intended as an instrument of hostility or even defense aganst the United States"
 Negotiations looking to the renewal of the AnglA Japanese alliance have not yet begun. The Anglo-Jap alliance in it's his- tory for nearly twenty years, has twice been renewed. In each case the funda- mental policy underlying 1t has remain ed unchan;I d. It aims permanently to preserve and to consolidate the general peace of the far east. The original agreement of 1902, in line with that pol icy, was calculated to localize any war which might be forced upon either. con tracting party in defense of its defined interests or vital security. It was made when China was under menace of foreign aggression; and the United States, show ing the utmost friendliness towards both parties to the alliance, viewed the com pact with sympathy and approval.
 In 1905, when the alliance was renew ed and revised to meet. the changed condi- tions that followed the Russo-Japanese war, no thought occurred to the states men of either country that the United States might possibly become a potential enemy of either ,and for that reason, and that alone, no provision was inserted talk | ing so remote a contingency Into consid- eration.
 'The alliance was again revised in 1911 and Article " of that agreement con- tains the following provision:
 l % Should either high contracting par ty conclude a treaty of general arbitra- | tion with a third power, it is agree that nothing in this agreement shall entail upon such contracting party an obliga- tion to go to war with the power with whom such treaty of arbitration si in force
 The idea of revising the alliance in 1911 was conceived primarily with the object of facilitating the negotiations which were known to be. then in pro- gress between London and Washington for the conclusion of a general arbitra- tion treaty. Any plan designed to re- move the possibility of an armed conflict between the United States and Great Britain was of course agreeable to Japan.
 "The same policy inspires Japan as strongly today as ever before. It has not, in any degree, been affected by the fact that the Anglo-American general ar bitration treaty failed to secure the ap- proval of the United States senate.
 Japan is naturally anxioils A7 strengthen the ties ot friendship and Joy. al cooperation between herself and the British empire, which she regards as o1 the utmost importance to the stability ol the Far-East.. At the same time, it is the firm and fixed determination of Japa1
 to permit nothing to hamper her.tradition al relations of good will and good under
 standing with the United States.
 Charges have some times been madt
 that the alliance tends to encourage az
 gressive designs on the part of Japan il
 China. If this were the case, it would
 be contrary to the preamble of the agree
 ment, which provides for,
 The preservation of the common in
 terests of all powers in China by insurinl . the independence and integrity of tn Chinese empire and the principle of equa opportunities for the commerce and in dustry of all nations in China Japan fully realizes that any sucl
 adventure of aggression would be no
 only hopeless of attainment but destruc : tive of her own security and welfare She sincerely wishes for China an earl achievement of peace, unity and stabl , government.
 She desires to cultivate her relation
 with that country along the path of mu
 tual respect and helpfuiaess. Her vas commercial interests alone. if for no oth
 consideration, point unmistakably to tn
 wisdom of such a policy. This is a basi principle of the Anglo-Japanese alliance In no adverse direction has the allianc
 ever exirted it's influence"