Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-01
JAPAN'S FARLEY
GROUP QUALIFIED
Experts in Economics, Naval
Affairs and Diplomacy
Comprise Mission.
Nv the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
TOXIC, November Am expert in
statecraft and economics, an authority
on naval affairs and an artist in the
ways and means of international inter-
course and agreement will make UP
Japan's delegation to the London naval
conference.
Reijiro WakatSuki, former premier
and economist, will head the delega-
ton. His naval colleague will be Ad-
miral Hyo Takarabe, minister of the
navy in the present and former cabi-
nets, while the guide through the mazes
Of diplomacy will be TSuneo Matsudaira
Ambassador to the Court Of st. James
and until last year the emperor's envoy
TO Washington.
From the outset the Japanese gov
eminent made 1t known a man of
prime minister caliber" would go TO
the proposed naval conference. sur
very Of available men of this eninence
soon pointed to Wakatsuki as the out
standing candidate. The imminence of
q general election, expected next jan
neither Premier Yuko Hamaguchi nor
any Of his cabinet colleagues would
leave the country at this time.
Must Depend on Matsudaira.
All three Of Japan's delegates have
lived in England and have some knowl-
edge Of English, but MatSudaira is the
only one that is at home in that tongue.
The delegation must depend on Mat
Sudaira for thorough knowledge OF the
language in which the conference will
do most of its work.
wakatsuki, now SO years old, began
his oflcial career as provincial tax
collector soon after graduation from the
Imperial University Of Toxic, where he
specialized in French law, the basis OF
the Japanese codes He rose to political
eminence through various posts in the
ministry of finance and reached the
cabinet in 1912, when he became finance
minister under Prince Katsura. He
held the same portfolio in the Okurna
cabinet organized two years later. For
almost a decade he was out of office,
while his party was in the opposition,
but he returned to power with Count
Takaakira Kato, under whom ne was
home minister from 1924 to 1926. When
Count Kato died in March, 1925, wa
katSuki inherited the premiership along
with the presidency of his party, the
The Wakatsuki cabinet fell in April,
1927 as the result of an acute financial
crisis. and Wakatsuki himself relin-
uuiShed the party leadership to become
It's chief adviser. Yuko Hamaguchl sue
ceeded him and now heads the govern
meYlt, which has named his former chief
to be the country's chief delegate IN the
negotiations at London.
Takarabe Naval Leader.
Admiral Takarabe, one year the
Junior of the chief delegate, IS the out.
standing active leader OF the naval
clan" the group of high officers drawn
largely from the ancient feudM princl.
pelity of SatSuma, which until recent
wears shared domination OF Japanese
politics with the military clan of Cho-
shu. Takarabe showed early promise
and the leader of the naval clan," Adj
miral Count Yamamoto, chose him to
be his son-in-law.
Nevertheless his rise to the top and
his long retention of leadership is
aScribed rather to his own statesman
like qualities than to influence. He has
held the naval portfolio in four previous
cabinets, beginning with that formed by
his father-in-law, September 1, 1928,
the famous earthquake cabinet"
Ambassador Matsudaira, third MEM
Der of the delegation, Is already widely
known in America and Great Britain
from his long diplomatic service in
those countries. He comes from one OF
the proudest Samurai houses of the en-
pire, and q year ago became father-in-
law to Prince Chichibu, heir presump-
tive to the throne, who married Miss
SetSuko, the Ambassadors eldest daugh-
ter, educated In the United States. The
Emperor is still without a direct heir
and it Is possible that Matsudaira some
day may become father-in-law of a
sovereign and grandfather of a future
Emperor.