"A Matter of Business"
Says Japanese Official Singapore, May 8.
"Japan is exporting iron ore from Malaya as a matter of simple busi-ess in a peaceful way," declared Mr. Ken Tsurumi, the Japanese Consul-General for Singapore, when asked regarding the situation following the questions raised recently in the House of Commons, "Malaya stands to benefit commercially to a considerable degree," added Mr, Tsurumi.
A question which was asked in the House ly Sir George Broadbridge requested the British Government to state whether it was aware that the states of Trengganu and Kelantar were sending regular shipments of iron ore to Japan and, in view of the fact that Japan had joined the Axis alliance, whether steps would be taken.
The British Government was understood to be studying the whole question, The House of Lords discussed ithe question of exports from the Dominions a few days previously, and the Government stated it was for each Dominion Government to determine the conditions on which it would permit the export of raw materials, Japan took nearly 2,000,000 tons of iron ore from Malaya last year, "Of the supplies of iron ore taken to Japan, the entire amount goes for peaceful consumption in our country." asserted Mr. Tsurumi.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.