visions of the Treaty were binding on Hong Kong." There is refore o legal justification for us to approach the Japanese ernment on this issue.
It
It is of course open to us to make a political approach to the anese. But the Reparation Association's case is not strong. decided during the war that no value should be given to any
anese currency introduced under Japanese occupation, in part
ause this might expose British currency to heavy inflationary
ssures from the very large amounts of currency circulated by the
anese, and also because non-recognition would discredit Japanese
ency and cast doubt on the question of how long Japan would be
e to maintain its control of its areas of occupation. There was difficulty about enforcing this policy in Hong Kong after the end hostilities. A démarche after forty-five years is unlikely to
ry much weight.
*
The Reparation Association has approached the Japanese
horities on this issue. But it is very unlikely that the
anese Government will be prepared to accommodate their belated
ition. I do not believe that it is worth our pressing them. On e
the reasons for demonetising the currency at the end of the war
that large accumulations of it were considered to be a result of her profiteering or collaboration. There are more deserving didates for belated Japanese reparations namely, former
soners of War and their dependents whose cases the Japanese
ernment are equally unlikely to satisfy after so many years.
www
Janiau
DA Warren
Far Eastern Department
WH245
270 2949