Tokio, June 18.
The announcement of M. Joffe's formal appointment by the Moscow Government as Soviet plenipotentiary in the preliminary pourparlers with a representative of this Government has revived public interest in the question of restoring commercial relations with Russia.
The possible outcome of these preliminary negotiations is discussed by the leading Tokio journals this morning, all of which agree in the opinion that the conversations about to begin afford more ground for hope that the outstanding questions between the two countries will be satisfactorily solved.
Several of them, notably the "Jiji,"" emphasize the advisability of a mutual sacrifice of minor claims and conditions in order to reach the desired conclusion.
The '"'Jiji"' claims to have learned from an authentic source that the Government, in the belief that' the re-establishment of friendly relations with Russia will be of benefit to both countries, enters upon these discussions with a sincere desire to reach a basis of agreement that will pave the way for the opening of a formal conference with Russia, The Metropolitan Police authorities have decided to attach a special guard to M. Joffe, who has been recognized now as the representative of the Soviet Administration.—Reuter.
Moscow, June 24.
The discussions between Russia and Japan on pending questions, principally that of Saghalien, have been resumed on @ basis of mutual concessions. Prompt jure recognition of the Soviet is prognosticated.
It is announced that the area of cotton plantations in Turkestan will be considerably increased.—Reuter.
Tokio, June 28.
Mr. Kawakami and M. Jaffa met this afternoon for the first of a series of preliminary pourparlers to endeavour to find a basis of agreement leading to another commercial conference between Russia)
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.