Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-11
JAPAN TO co AS FAR
AS SANYTO CUT NAVY,
DELEGATES ASSERT
Submarines Necessary for
Country's Defense, Says
Former Premier.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
VICTORIA British Columbia, De-
cember 11.-Reijiro Wakatsuki and Ad-
miral Takarabe. heading the Japanese
delegation to the forthcoming London
disarmament conference, asserted here
today that their country would go as
far toward reducing its naval force as
any other power.
Wakatsuki. former premier of Japan
and Takarabe. minister of the navy
arrived with the remainder of the dele
CATION last night from Yokohama
They are on their way to Washington
to meet President Hoover before pro-
ceeding to London for the conference,
which starts next month.
The japanese delegates displayed in
terest in radio dispatches received at
sea telling of the affiliation of the
United States with the World Court.
Japan Favors Cooperation.
Japan favors cooperation of all ma
tionS in the world, as 1t has been ac-
tiyely engaged In the World Court for
some time" Wakatsuki said. II feel
nersonal satisfaction that the United
States has decided to adhere as 1t has
in a corporation in which our nation
is much interested"
WakatSuki said he did not think
entry of the United States into the
tribunal would have any direct bear
ing on the forthcoming London confer
ence, but the very fact that the United
knE
felicitated."
The former premier said his country
desired to keep submarines as a naval
weapon.
"A country like Japan, with no ag-
gressive designs and of inferior naval
strength, is dependent in large part
on submarines as a defensive weapon.
he asserted.
Reduction Is Fundamental.
Japan has many ideas and many
hopes of lasting good to come from the
London conference" he continued
THE fundamental thing in our minds
is reduction-a sweeping reduction If it
proves practicable and the conference
shows it to be advisable. It must be
ACCOMPLISHED. however, without involv-
ing a menace as between the comforting
parties"
THE Washington conference was a
great success. feel somehow that
the forthcoming London conference will
be equally successful"
Wakatsuki indicated that the ques-
ton of whether Japan would seek q
change from the 5-5-3 basis to a high
er ratio of 10-10-7 could not be de-
termined in advance of the conference
The delegation will start eastward
tomorrow night. It is scheduled to ar.
rive in Chicago December Is and ir
Washington the next day. The party
will sail from New York for London
December 20.
Prominent members of the party ir
addition to the two official delegates
include:
Hiroshi Saito. chief of the inteIli.
gence bureau of the Japanese foreign
Office and former consul general in New
York; Count Aisuke Kabayama, mem
Der of the advisory staff of the delega.
ton; Shunkighi Akimoto, English sec.
retary to the chief of the delegation
Vice Admiral Masazo Sakonji, CHIEF
technical adviser; DR.. Tadao Yamakawa
adviser on international law: Admlra
Baron Kiyokazu Abo. naval adviser
and DR.. T. KaWasaki, chancellor to the
| Japanese delegation.
Among the prominent japanese news
| paper men accompanying the delega
! ton are Yukichi Iwanaga, managing
/ director of Rengo News Agency, anC
| Masao Kato Of Rengo's foreign staff.