New-York tribune., 1921-11-09
Japan Willing
ToCut Big S8-8'
Navy Program
Will Curtail Plan Experts
Said Would Give Greatest
Fighting Force i'm Pacific,
if Powers Safeguard Her
Brightens Farley Outlook
Do Not Seek To Rival u. S. or
England, Baron Kato Says
After Formal Statement
BY Carter Field

Dy NdItCI i IClQ
WASHINGTON, Nov. S.-Japan is
willing to curtail her Eight and eight"
program, ain agreement with the pow
ers concerned, providing the safety Of
Japan is assured" This statement was
made formally to-n,gh, by Admiral
Baron Tomosaburo Kato. frankly based
on the Washington dispatch in The
Tribune this morning
The significance of the statement is
tremendous, and resulted in O sharp in
crease in optimism as to tho outlook
here tonight, = is the -,ora interest
ing because, dcspi~- che modesty Of
the Japanese about the strength of
their navy, when the "eight and eight"
program shall have been completed,
many naval experts, British as we'll as
American, have expressed the convic-
tion that it would result in the Japan
ese navy being able to concentrate con-
siderable more fighting force for an
engagement anywhere in the Far East
than the American navy
Also 1T has been the conviction of the
naval experts who have gone over the
situation with the Jananese in CONVEX
sations looking forward to the confer
cnce that the japanese felt they should
certainly be permitted to continue this
program.
On top, of this came yesterday what
purporIed to be an authoritative state
ment that all naval building progrems
already authorized should be approved
by the conference, any agreement as to
armament limitation looking forward
further than their completion. This
story had profoundly depressing ef
fect in Washington last night. as was
described in The Tribune this morning
Following is the text, both introduc-
ton and formal statement, handed to
the press tonight by the Jananese:
IN answer to inquiries about the re-
port published in New York morning
paper, stating that Japan all along on.
posed reduction of such naval progra ms
as as nave already been initiated, Baron
Iomosaburo Kato, Japanese delegate,
stated: @'~'~'
THE contrary is definitely the case.
and the repetition Of the statement ia
unwarranted, in view of the fact that
when the Washington conference was
nrst proposed, and at other times sub
sequentiy, officials of the Japanese gov
ernment, including myself. have stated
rying out her present "eight-eight"
program, but is ready to cut it down
in agreement with the powers con-
cerned. providing the safety of Japan
is assured.'"
After handing out the statement
Baron Kato discussed the situation ct
some length with the newspaper cor
respondents.
Ready to Cut Down
From the first news OF the confer
ence," he said, Japan has issued state
ments on Japan's attitude in the ques-
tion. Despite this there have been re-
peated stories, and very noticeably in
The New York Tribune this morning,
that Japan will proceed with the eight
and-eight program. Last May / said
the eight-and-eigh program. by which
we mean building eight battleships and
eight cruisers.
NOT only will Japan insist on carry
lying out the eight-and- eight program,
but she is ready to cut down IF an
agreement with the other powers con-
cerned can be reached.
AT the approaching conference there
Will be many propositions. If they de-
mand cut we are ready to do SO.
want to make very clear that is the
armament cannot be effected by Japan
alone"
Details Sands Program
Asked for details as to the cight-and-
eight program, Admiral Kato said:
mo figures as to the present state
of the eightand- eight program are
available o-day. The program is to be
completed in 1928. 1t was authorized
last summer and appropriations made"
What would be considered a proper
basis on which a cut in the eight-and-
eight program would be made 2" Ad-
mlral Kato was asked.
The proper basis must be stated bv
the United States," he replied.
HAS Japan any proposals to pre-
sent ?"
mo present proposals, but perhans
counter proposals, depending entirely
on the nature of the United States pro
gram" 'N' -
Does Japan feel she needs as strong
navy as Great Britain or the United
States ~
japan has never entertained the
IDEA that she should have a nayy equal
TO the United States or Great Britain"
great navy?" M .
"That<is difficult question. Every
nation feels the necessity of self de,
fense and needs the necessary forces
to DO so. AS regards the degree, that
depends on many factors, internal and
with relations to other nations. For
instance, in the Orient Japan is an
island. Should nation attack Japan
the naval force alone could defend the
country. Moreover, Japan is not self
sufficient. AS regards the size of q
navy, that depends on the point of
view. | do not consider the navy of
Japan to be great: The plans already
adopted are much inferior to those pro
grams adopted both by Great Britain
and the United States.''
There is no surprise that Baron
kato should hedge his proposal to cut
the eight and eight program by stat
ing that Japan cannot affect arma-
ment limitation alone, nor provided