The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-07-28
JAP AN DEFINITELY ACCEPTS PLACE IN
 ARMAMENT FARLEY
Officials Satisfied Over Reply and Way Now Clear for Working Out Details of
 the Conference
By Associated Press


 Washington, July 27.--Japans defi- mite acceptance of place in the dis armament conference, which reach ed the state department today, gives consent to discussion of far east ern questions in connection with the conference, but suggests that prob lems which concern only particular powers or which can be regarded as closed incidents be omitted from the scope of the meeting
 There was every evidence of satis- faction oyer the reply in official circles here and 1t was indicated that the way now was regarded as entire ly clear for tho preliminary negotia- tions which will fix the time ana place of meeting and details of pro- cedure.
 comprehensive consideration of the conference programme before the delegates actually assemble also was suggested in the Japanese note and is regarded as assured. The attitude of officials here has been that such discussion would be entirely in place once all the invited powers had definitely accepted invitations.
 A section of the Japanese reply which attracted particular attention here was a paragraph declaring 1t was the sense of the Japanese govern ment that during the conference problems such as are of sole concern to certain particular powers or such matters that may be regarded ac- complished facts should be scrupu- 1ously avoided"
 Forecast of Attitude
 1t was made plain, however, that officials here regarded this state- ment, not as condition of acceptance by Japan, but as forecast of the attitude she will take when the ne- gotiations over the conference pro- gramme begin.
 It Is pointed out here that Japan at the outset of her note agrees to a discussion of such subjects as may be regarded as bearing directly on disarmament and says in specific terms that she is willing to talk about Pacific and far eastern questions. It Is suggested that some questions which might otherwise affect only two or three powers will readily find a place in the category which the Tokio government has thus accepted.
 Although officials withheld com ment, it was recalled here in connec- tion with the Japanese reference to such matters that may be regarded accomplished facts that the Japanese ambassador at London recently in dicated that his government would yot care to discuss questions like Shantung and Tap because 1t regard ed them as having been settled by the treaty of Versailles In other quarters. however, it has been point ed out that the Versailles treaty Is not recognized by China so far as Shantung Is concerned and that the United States has not consented to the treaty terms relating to Yap and other mandate territories so that in each case an open question is raised which would seem to make further negotiations necessary.
 It also is emphasized that because of the unusual situation in the far east, where various powers have 8 direct concern in Chinese integrity concessions. it may be difficult to agree that any particular question affects only limited number of na- tions. All of this, however, Is ex- pected to be threshed out in the ex- change of views which is to precede the meeting of the conference.
 Text of Reply
 The text of the Japanese reply fol- lows:
 "The Japanese government has taken note of the contents of the American memorandum of July z3,
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