Evening star., 1940-02-06
Yangtze Reopening
Scored in Toxic DIET
As U. 5. Appeasemeni
Reoctionory Leader Asks
Outright Abandonment
Of Nine-Power Pact
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press
TOXIC, Feb. 6.-Japan's decision
to reopen the lower Yangtze River
in China to third-power traffic was
attacked bitterly in the japanese
Parliament tonight as "obsequiou!
diplomacy" aimed at courting the
favor of the United States.
Ichiro Kiyose, leader of reac-
tionary elements, in a fiery speech
said that the government had an
nounced the Yangtze step as an ef-
fort to improve the attitude of the
United States toward Japan, and
that the move had failed.
Kiyose advocated outright aban-
doment of the nine-power treaty
of 1922 which pledged its signatories
to respect the open door" policy OF
foreign trade in China.
Urges Fortnight Action.
OF the Yangtze decision. an
nounced several weeks ago, Kiyose
said:
ut is really absurd to suppose
that Japanese American relations
can be improved through such OBJ
sequious diplomacy. Is it
not more appropriate to leave this
matter in the hands of the new
central government of China SC
that it can open the Yangtze to
those powers which will extend as
sistance?"
Kiyose said he believed that ad-
justment of relations with the
United States could be facilitated
by fortnight action.
Japanese-American relations en-
tered new phase on January &c
when the 1911 Japanese American
Trade Treaty expired, having been
denounced by the United States.
The attack on the governments
press and political policy was made
in both houses of the Parliament.
Britain to Free Nine Germans.
Great Britain has agreed to re-
turn nine of 81 German seamer
seized from the japanese liner
Asama Maru, Foreign Minister
Hachiro Arita announced today.
In connection with this COM
promise on an incident which Japa-
nese had taken as an affront, Arita
said japanese steamship lines hao
been instructed to refuse to accept
as passengers belligerent nationals
who are enlisted in military serv-
ices and those who may possibly
be enlisted"
The foreign minister expressed
belief that this would prevent an
other such incident, but told the
Diet, Il cannot say that the case
is entirely settled"
The Shanghai Office of the Nippon
Yusen Kaisha, one of the principa
steamship companies of Japan ano
operators of the Asama Maru, an
nounced today it would not accept
as passengers Germans subject tc
military service.
Passage May Be Refused.
The announcement said any Ger
mans who had booked passage or
N. Y. K. ships would be subject tt
investigation and possible rejection
even though tickets already hao
been issued
Arita declared Japan would con-
tinue to negotiate for the return o1
all 81 seamen. They were seized
by British cruiser, January 20
about IS miles off Yokohama anc
interned at Hong Kong, British
crown colony
Arita told the Diet the japanese
government cannot express salts
faction because the number of Ger.
mans to be delivered to japanese
authorities is only part of those
whose extradition was demanded.
Press Control ia Be Relaxed.
Meanwhile, the japanese govern.
ment's control of the press and gov.
ernment secrecy on political inten.
tions were attacked in both houses
of Parliament.
The attack in the House of Peers
drew from Premier Admiral Mitsu-
mesa Yonai an expression of agree
ment with critics of press control
and he said relaxation would be at
tempted.
Speaking in the upper house, Shi-
6So oo5uoo w q oOSldl GU UlloO CO.OpCl
tion of the government and the
people never would be completed
while newspapers were deprived of
freedom.
Jotaro Kawakami of the Social
Mass Party presented a similar view
to the lower house. He said doubt
and apprehension were apparent
among the people over methods for
ending the war in China and the
governments relation with the pro-
jected Chinese regime of Wang
Ching-wei.
KaWakami demanded that the
government publish its terms fol
peace in China.
Nine Germans Termed
Unsuitable for Army
nAInNN g