Evening star., 1945-10-26
Japs Reluctant
To0bey0rder
Isolating Them
Foreign Office Plans
To Ruise Point of
Potsdom Compliance
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
TOKYO, Oct. 26.-The Jap
aneSe Foreign Office today
showed reluctance to obey Gen.
MacArthur's unprecedented or
ders for the diplomatic isolation
of Japan.
Domei News Agency quoted un-
named Informed sources as report
ing that the government would "ex-
erciSe great care" in following the
order, but that Foreign Office Off
cials would sound out" Allied au-
thorities on whether the directive
conforms to the Potsdam declara-
ton"
Gen. Macarthur yesterday ordered
Japan to transfer all of her diplo-
matte and consular properties and
archives everywhere in the world to
the Allied powers, to cease relations
with foreign government and to re-
call her diplomatic and consular
representatives from abroad. The
directive was prepared by the Joint
Chiefs of Staff in Washington.
The Allies, Immediately after the
cessation of hostilities, had re-
quested Japan to cease relations
with neutral powers. At that time
some quarters of the government
expressed the opinion that the re-
quest was inconsistent with the
Potsdam pact.
Since the surrender, Japan has
maintained relations with Switzer-
land, Sewden, Portugal, Fire, At
ghanistan and the Holy See.
Impatient Over Zaibatsu.
On the occupation front, Gen.
MacArthur's headquarters said the
plans for fitting other Allied troops
into the setup await the conclusion
of policy discussions among the big
powers, then the receipt of orders
from Washington. To date, no one
official word has come through.
Gen. Macarthur, meanwhile, indi-
Gated impatience at silence from the
japanese government concerning
his pointed suggestion two weeks ago
that japanese big family monopolies
be 'democratized."
A brusque headquarters state
ment said the Allied commander
had received mo official eommuni-
cation from the imperial Japanese
government on any phase of the
zaibatsu (big family question"
The implied rebuke of the Jap
anese government for hardness in
ordering dissolution of the big farli-
lies corpoeations, which financed
and furthered Japan's imperialistic
ambitions, bore this pointed word
ing: ANY statement to the effect
that the supreme commander of the
Allied powers has accepted or re-
jected any communication on this
question is false"
Voluntary moves toward partial
dissoluation of gigantic, interlocking
holdings of the Mitsubishi and Nit
sui monopolies were reported this
week by high officials of the corpo-
rationS.
A MitSui spokesman said Amer
lean occupation authorities and
Washington had been advised of the
dissolution plans, but Mitsubishi
official said his company's program
for compliance had not been report
ed to Japanese or Allied officials.
Radium Confiscated.
American occupation officials
probing into hidden resources with
in the conquered nation reported
confscation of $2,500,000 worth OF
radium from vaults of the German
consulate at Osaka. The radium
from Czechoslovakia, had been in
tended for sale to japanese hos
pitfalls, the report said.
The estimated value of all gold
silver and other valuables seized
by occupation forces rose far above
a quarter billion dollars with the
taking over of about 100000 worth
of silver bullion, mercury, tool steel
storage batteries and zinc by 9th
Infantry Division troops in a ware
house raid near Ida on Central
HonShu.
Eighth Army headquarters said
the warehouse was owned by the
Matsuo Agriculture Association, but
that the silver bullion was reported
to be the property of the Mitsubishi
industrial trust.
Authorities questioned concerning
Joint Allied occupation plans said
they had no idea when troops OF
the British Commonwealth, China
and Russia would arrive, nor what
would be done with them after they
reach Japan.
Maj. Gen. Richard Marshall
deputy chief of staff to Gen. Mac
Arthur, commented "It's news to