CO129-445 - Public Offices - 1917 — Page 384

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[This Document is the

tannic Majesty's Government.]

379

OPIUM.

CONFIDENTIAL.

C.O

80-

61262

REC

REG? 14 DECIZ

[June 9.]

SECTION 1.

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[115025]

(No. 263.) Sir,

No. 1.

Sir C. Greene to Mr. Balfour.-(Received June 9.)

Tokyo, April 29, 1917. IN reply to your despatch No. 26 of the 12th February last asking for my observations on certain papers which were enclosed therein relating to morphia smuggling into China through Japan, I have the honour to draw your attention to the reports on this subject which were forwarded in Sir John Jordan's despatches Nos. 7 and 35 of the 6th January and the 1st February, 1916, respectively, as well as to my earlier despatches Nos. 160 and 253 of the 17th June and the 31st August, 1915, respectively. A perusal of these various reports will show that there are very good grounds for believing the accuracy of the statement made by the Edinburgh Committee for the Suppression of the Indo-Chinese Opium Trafic to the effect that large quantities of morphia have been exported from the United Kingdom to Japan and thence smuggled into China.

As this traffic appears to be not only illegal, according to both Japanese and Chinese law, but is also immoral, and as the export of morphia from the United Kingdom is probibited except under licence, I venture to recommend for the serious consideration of His Majesty's Government the advisability of refusing all permits for export to Japan or to Dairen unless certificates are obtained from the Japanese Home Office or the authorities of the Kwantung leased territory showing that the morphia is for actual consumption in Japan or Dairen and vicinity for medical purposes only.

There might be some outery at first from the dealers, who have been making large profits out of this business, but, as will be seen from the enclosed newspaper extract,* it would be possible to invoke the aid of the Anti-Opium Society, which numbers among its members several very influential persons, and this would counteract any agitation which might be started by the morphia dealers.

I have, &c. (For the Ambassador),

H. NORMAN.

*Not printed.

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