TNAG-0334-FCO40-370-Visits-of-Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Commonwealth-Af-1972 — Page 124

CONFIDENTIAL

Brief No 12

ANGLO/JAPANESE MINISTERIAL CONSULTATION:

TOKYO: FEBRUARY 1972

JAPANESE VISA REQUIREMENTS FOR HOLDERS OF HONG KONG PASSPORTS

SUMMARY

The Japanese authorities have steadfastly refused to permit holders

Mr of Hong Kong passports to enter their country without visas. Royle has proposed that the Secretary of State should seek to per-

suade the Japanese to change their decision.

POINTS TO BE MADE

1. The Hong Kong Government are keen that their passport holders

should be admitted to Japan without visas.

2. In order to achieve this they are prepared to offer reciprocal facilities to Japanese nationals; to accept back all Chinese from Hong Kong whose presence in Japan proves to be undesirable and to

bear repatriation costs.

3. In HM Government's view, the technical and largely domestic objections which the Japanese have made to other British approaches are capable of resolution by detailed discussion between the

Japanese authorities and our Embassy in Tokyo.

4. The Japanese should reconsider their previous refusals and work towards bringing the matter to a satisfactory conclusion.

Migration and Visa Department

21 January 1972

CONFIDENTIAL