The Washington times., 1934-12-29
Saito Statement
Details Tokyo View
Bv international News Service

In denouncing the washington
naval treaty today, Hirosi Sa1to
japanese ambassador, made the
following statement:
although the japanese gov
ernment has given notice, ac-
c0rding to the terms Of the
Washington naval treaty, Of
its intention to terminate the
agreement, It has done so with
the sincere hope to have a sub
stitute accord that will embOdy
the proposals we have made.
Zone feature of these pro-
pOSals has been given, in my
opinion, undue emphasis by
critics. That is the claim for
equality. We have also pro-
posed a radical reduction in
naval armament capable OF
aggression.
I'VE are proposing the total
abolition of the big and expen-
Sive warships covered by the
WashigntOn Treaty. i. e., capital
ships and aircraft carriers. We
are ready to go down to as far
as the half of our present naval
strength. But too little has been
said of this.
WOULD BAN FEAR
"On both material and moral
grounds we earnestly desire a
substantial reduction that will
free the nations of anxiety re-
garding the possibilities Of war.
We want the others to be free
of any anxiety regarding us, and
we want to be free of any re-
garding them.
"It is to be noted that our
claim for equality or parity is
q necessary prerequisite to such
real reduction in the navieS.
Furthermore, our proposal is
not to have our navy the equal
of that of the United States
or Great Britain suddenly over
night. Japan wishes that q
common maximum limit for
navies will be agreed upon, and
each power to retain the right
to build up to it as the neces-
Sity of the situation dictates.
"The maintenance of exces-
Sive ornaments is not only a
heavy burden on all the peoples
who support them but has the
unfortunate effect of creating
suspicious of purpose and Civ
ing rise from time to time to
alarms.
SEES ACCORD HOPE
There is enough difficult
work for each of the three great
naval powers to do in its own
country and its own proper
sphere of the world without con-
templating the possibility Of
war with either of the others
and preparing for 50 remote an
eventuality.
accord among them, there
fore, ought to be attainable on a
reasonable basis, and happy
there is plenty of time for an
accord to be reached before our
notification becomes effective
two years hence.
"But, even if no accord can
be reached, / am not at all
anxious over the consequences.
The peoples concerned are all
intelligent and their govern
ments are rational. No one
wishes to engage in damaging
naval building competition.
There has never been a
serious armed conflict between
the United States and any of
the Far Eastern nations, and,
as your secretary Of state and
our foreign minister have
agreed, there is no problem be-
tween the United States and
Japan that cannot be settled
by diplomatic means.
NO CONFLICT SEEN
Having no conflict of interest
that is not overwhelmingly out
weighed by our mutually bene-
ficial relations there Is no
logical reason for us to COM
pete in armaments. Therefore,
as 1 see it, an end Of suspicious
and a development Of accord Is
the part of wisdom as well as
the duty of our nations.
"It is gratifying and hearten-
ing to note that the governments
of this country and Japan are
now endeavOring to stop jingOes
in both countries from making
irresponsible and inflammatOry
UtteranceS. 1t is time for all Of
us to ponder the situation Seri-
Ously. Bearing in mind the
friendship Of the two peoples. 1
am always hopeful and Opti-
mi'ticl"