TNAG-0334-FCO40-370-Visits-of-Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Commonwealth-Af-1972 — Page 126

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evea stateless

The Japanese were not won over by Hong Kong's offer made at that

time to accept back all Chinese from Hong Kong

Chinese travelling on Hong Kong certificates f identity after their

expiry.

3. Again in 1967 the Japanese made it clear that they did not

wish Hong Kong Passport Holders to enter Japan without visas, and

they were prepared even to suspend part of the UK/Japan Agreement to

prevent this. They complained that many UK Passport Holders from

Hong Kong contrived to "lose" their existing passports while abroad

and to receive in return new British passports issued by a consular

officer. Travelling on these, in accordance with the letter of the

Agreement, they could enter Japan without visas.

4.

In September 1969 the Hong Kong authorities liberalised their

immigration control to allow the nationals of most countries with

which they had no visa waiver arrangements to enter Hong Kong with-

out visas for visits of up to 7 days. This was to encourage tourists.

Japan benefited by this course.

5. Following the unsuccessful official approaches, Mr Royle raised

the subject with Mr Takeuchi, Parliamentary Vice Minister, during a

visit to Japan in October 1970. Mr Takeuchi undertook to have the

matter re-examined and the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs sub-

sequently told our Embassy in Tokyo that a consensus of the inter-

ested Japanese Government Departments was against the inclusion of

Hong Kong Passport Holders in the UK/Japan Visa Abolition Agreement.

In addition to the domestic arguments previously used, the Japanese

said they were concerned about a number of cases where Hong Kong

Chinese had committed both criminal offences and breaches of the

2

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/Immigration