TNAG-0281-FCO40-317-Visit-of-the-Chancellor-of-the-Duchy-of-Lancaster-to-Hong-Ko-1970 — Page 188

CONFIDENTIAL

BACKGROUND NOTE

PART I

A.

Exclusion of Hong Kong from the United Kingdom/Japan Visa Abolition Agreement of 2 November 1962.

The negotiations with the Japanese Authorities in 1962,

which led to the Visa Abolition Agreement in that year, were

conducted with the prime intention on the part of both

Governments to ease the restriction on travel between Japan

and the United Kingdom. Her Majesty's Government did not ask

that Hong Kong be excluded from the Agreement, but the Japanese

made it clear from the outset of the negotiations (on an

informal and confidential basis) that they were not keen to

extend any agreement with the U.K. to include Hong Kong.

However, it was accepted by both Governments that visa

abolition arrangements for H.M.G.'s dependent territories,

including Hong Kong, could be the subject of further

negotiations at a later date if so required.

2.

There is no reason to think that the Japanese will be

any less reluctant now to admit holders of Hong Kong passports

without a visa than they were in 1962, but the Hong Kong

Government has expressed the wish that the matter should be

taken up with them with a view to obtaining an informal

reciprocal visa waiver arrangement and has specified the

concessions that it would be prepared to offer to Japanese

nationals.

3. This suggestion is accordingly being put to the

Japanese through the British Embassy in Tokyo and it is

CONFIDENTIAL

/understood