Parleys in Moscow for "Modus Vivendi" over Fishing Rights; Undercurrent of Strain Seen Tokyo, Dec. 12.
TRAINED relations.between Japan and the-U.S.S.R. over Japan's fishery rights in the Soviets northern Pacific waters are believed to have eased somewhat during the past 24 hours.
Japanese press reports today state that during an interview yesterday afternoon between Mr.*Shigenori: Togo, Japanese Ambassador in Moscow, and M. Maxim Litvinoff, Soviet Commissar for Foreign Affairs, it was mutually agreed to open negotiations with the object of reaching a new "modus vivendi" regarding the fishing rights, to replace the existing one, which expires on December 31.
An undercurrent of tension continues, however, and certain Japanese circles consider that war between Japan and Russia is a distinct possibility unless an agreement is concluded renewing Japan's rights in the matter, These rights were originally secured by the Treaty of Portsmouth (1905), by which the Russo-Japanese "War of 1904-5 was brought to a conclusion.
Recently each side has been accusing the other of violation of the Treaty.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.