The New York herald., 1921-03-26
Foreign Office Denies Try
ing to Control the Pacific
From Barren Island.
PLANNING CIVIL RULE
katO Calls 1t Absurd to Say
Nippon Empire Is Compet-
ing With U. s. Navy.
SHIP PROGRAMME SMALL
Declares Toxic Has No Foe i'm
Mind-Ready for q Naval
Holiday if 1t Is General.
SHIP PROGRAMME SMALL
By TIC. .Asaoe .oied psess

among them the island of Yap. are
outlined in an official statement issued
by the Foreign Office to-day. Japan
will promote the moral and material
happiness OF the inhabitants and soon
will supersede the present military ad-
ministration with a civil government,
says the communique.
Reiteration is made Of the intention.
in consonance with the spirit of the
mandate" not to establish military or
naval bases.
The communication calls attention
to the tendency to exaggerate the eco
nonic and strategic value of the
islands, whose total area is smaller
than Rhode Island" and points out
that Yap contains only eight square
miles, which Is less than one-third OF
Guam, and that its harbors are barely
capable Of accommodating three steam
ships whose combined tonnage is not
more than 5000 tons. The island has
no natural produce ii adds. and ex-
cept for it's cable facilities, is a worth
less piece of barren soil in midocean."
1T might as we'll be said" the For
eign Office declares, that the United
States obtained control of the Atlantic
seas by the purchase of the Virgin ISL
ands as to say that by the mandate to
the islands in the South Pacific Japan
has staked a sea area or 100000
square miles from Ksmchatka. IN the
North to the South Pacific Islands"
The Foreign Office then chara cterizes
as fabrics tions reports which have been
circulating that Japan in the Marshall
Islands is preventing the landing of for
eign merchants and Is unlawfully in
terfcring with American missionaries
and closing the mission schools
Not Competing with America.
Assertions that the Jacanese naval
programme was being followed for the
purpose Of competing with tho United
states Navy were denounced as pre-
posterous and absurd h. Vice Admiral
Tomosaburo kato. japanese Minister Of
Marine, in an interview with the asso-
ciated Press. Hc declared Japan was
not trying TO compete with the Amer
lean navy. and that the japanese naval
programme had been formulated so that
the Island Empire could be defended
against any emergencies arising in the
Par East alone.
The Minister emphasized the fact that
Japans project 10 have a feet OF eight
battleships and eight battle cruisers
built within a period OF eight years was
not necessarily irreducible. lie indi-
Gated that If all the naval Powers would
ta hoi /. 1.
willing to enter such an engagement
and would not insist upon the compile
ton OF the naval programme projected
by the Government
Let me say in beginning" the Minis
ter explained, that our idea in consider
Ing the existence OF the two squadrons
the irreducible minimum necessary for
naval defence originated after the
Chino-Japanesc war aud before the
Russo-Japanese conflict. In the war
with Russia we had two squadrons, each
with six capital ships, and later pos
sessed squadrons having eight battle
ships and six cruisers. After the Rus
sian war Japan planned TO have her two
sansir.ns. made up OF eight battleshi S
and eight cruisers all capital ships less
than eight years old.
The condition OF our finances did not
permit the carrying out OF this pro-
Eraipme. 80 We tried to maintain an
'oight-four standard and then an eight
eight. While several Powers are trying
TO build great nayies. consisting OF
thirty. forty. or even ifty. capital ships
or the hrst line. Japan's plan for an
cgnt-eighc standard seems moderate.
considering the position OF the island.
In counting ships less than eight years
old. the examples of foreign Powers
have been our guidance.
No Probable Enemy I'm Mind.
The trainers OF the 'cight-eight' pro-
ara mme did not have in mind any for
eign country as a probable enemy.
wish TO emphasize that they merely con-
.dered our finances and decided we
could afford 10 ma intain such a navy. by
which the island empire could be de-
Tended against any emergencies arising
in the Far East alone
n regret very much 10 sec sinister
propagsndists or mischief makers trying
n attribute our naval programme 70 s
desire 20 compete with the United states
Navy Nothing could be more prepos-
ferrous and absurd than this contention.
Needless to say. the Japanese navy de-
sires the most cordial relations with the
Unified states Navy
What is your attitude gsrdng a
striction Of armamentsg ?" he was asked
The Japanese Government" he re-
piled. Joined the League OF Nations. and
In doing so supported the prlncipis OF
the reduction Of armsments. Whenever
there In an international conference on
armament reduction will be only too
glad 70 cooperate honestly with other
Governments 70 give effect 10 this prin-
cipe.
Although there Us clemor for the
restriction of armaments throughout the
world, vet. taxing into consideration the
real International situation and the pres
sni status 81 the naval Powers. 7 10 not
seiieve ouf relatively inferior nav
should lead the way in reducn nR. ror
thar We should curtail our established
plan. ii = dcpondsble internatldnst
agreement comes into being whereby ali
naval Powers should agree TO restrict
their naval forces. however. would be
very glad 10 join 10 2 reasonable extent
" a suitable formula could be found
Therefore, do not insist upon the COM
petion or our so-called 'eisht-eisht' pro-
xysmn&