Tokyo, Feb. 1.
APAN "on principle" does not intend to indemnify third-party Power nationals for losses sustained as a result of Japanese military operations, Mr. Hachiro Arita, the Foreign Minister, announced in the Diet today. Replying to an interpellation by Mr. Koichi Seko, Seiyukai, the Foreign Minister declared that while Japan would respect "as far as possible" the rights and interests of third-party Powers in China, she was not prepared to pay indemnity for "war losses."
This statement of policy, regarding a question of vital interest 0 neutrals in China, aroused widespread comment, The Japanese Government, authoritative circles revealed, contends that third-party Power nationals owning property in China should bear, in the same manner as Chinese property owners, losses caused by military operations.
Particularly, losses inflicted upon third-party property in the three circumstances outlined below, could not be made the subject of claims for indemnity. These types of losses were given as:
1. Damage sustained by third-party Power property used by the Chinese for itary purposes; 2. Damage sustained as a result of military operations in zones of battle and areas adjoining such zones, and 3. Damage sustained as a result of operations dictated by military necessity for the successful conduct of military operations in zones of battle and adjoining areas.
"Too Late to Repent"
Japan could not be induced to deal with the Chinese Nationalist regime even should Gen. Chiang Kai-she! "repent," the Premier, Baron Kiichiro announced in the Diet king regime mere local administration," the Prime ister asserted that it would be "too late" for the Kuomintang Government to seek to deal with Japan.
The Japanese Government, he continued, would ce-operate with a central Chinese Government when the latter should come into bei The Government, the Prime Minis-ler said in a further reply, did not contemplate the calling of an international conference to discus: the proposed establishment of a new Order in East Asia.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.