While tle whole question appeared tobe orly an internal affair of the Commonwealth, it seemed to have had international repercussions. Some i: time ago the Government started action on land "leases of doubtful legality, but proceedings were stopped after the trial of one case. The action was abandoned, it was rumoured, because of an "understanding" between Washington and Manila. Not long ago the Commozwealth President Sr, Manuel Quezon, and a number of assemblyman went to Davao on an inspection trip and on the party's xéfurn to Manila, the President said there was "no Japanese problem in Davao."
Admiral Kichisaburo Nomura, not Jong before he was named Am-dor to the United S'ates, visited Davao to inquire into the "health" Of the Japanese there, There are approximately 30,000 Japanese in Davao.
No estimate of the extent of Japanese landholdings in: Davao was available," but 60,000 hectares of these holdings were said.to-be of doubtful legality. How many Japanese and Filipinos were involved in cases of illegal land leasing has rever been established, but the Government was said to have full information on the subject.
The ense Far Eastern situation and the recent emphasis on Japan's southward expansion programme have served to focus increased interest on the Davao land question, sources believed drastic a case of Japazese landholdings has been withheld thus far in the terest of harmonious relations with Tokyo.—United Press,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.