CO129-417 - Public Offices - 1914 — Page 435

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428

TITION PANESE

NRMAN HER

ATTITUDE OF JAPANESE GOVERNMENT,“

the Agent's new Company.

It will be understood from what has been stated that it would equally be a misapprehension to suppose that those British Companies which have German Agents could adequately replace them by British firms.

British Insurance Companies have, as indicated, a great, and we think a mot undeserved, prestige in Japan (as in foreign fields throughout the world) but they have not a monopoly. Japanese Insurance Companies in particular are powerful competitors in respect of much of the business in their country, and any compulsory disturb- ance of existing Agencies would enable our Japanese and other competitors to benefit, and this entirely at our expense. The general release from British Insurance Companies of business under German control would also undoubtedly bring fresh Insurance offices into the field, and would thus inflict a further disability on British interests. German, Dutch, American and other Companies not now represented would find it worth while to set up Agencies in Japan, and the competition which the British Companies, by enterprise and good management, have so far kept in bounds would receive a powerful stimulus.

In regard to the question of Japanese competition, it may be pointed out that our information is that our Allies have not prohibited the employment of German Agents by Companies of other nations or by Japanese Companies themselves. For British Companies to be compelled to