TNAG-0334-FCO40-370-Visits-of-Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Commonwealth-Af-1972 — Page 132

CONFIDENTIAL

SECRETARY OF STALELS ISIT TO

FEBRUARY 1972

B, EXCLUSION OF HONG KONG FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM/JAPAN

VISA ABOLITION AGREEMENT OF 2 NOVEMBER 1962

1. The negotiations with the Japanese authorities in 1962,

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

conducted with the primary intention on the part of both

Governments of easing restriction on travel between Japan and

the United Kingdom. The 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 UK to include Hong Kong. However, it was

accepted by both Governments that visa abolition arrangements

for HMG's dependent territories, including Hong Kong, could be

the subject of further negotiations at a later date if so

required.

2. The Hong Kong Government have consistently maintained

pressure to be included in the agreement or for a waiver arrange-

ment to be concluded. A series of approaches to effect either

arrangement has been made at official level to the Japanese, whose

basic objection has been that if they agreed to admit Hong Kong

Passport Holders without visas, they would lose control over

the admission of subversive Chinese elements. When the matter

was raised in 1966 the Ministry of Justice also objected on the

grounds that it has considerable trouble in ridding Japan of

the significant number of Hong Kong Chinese who enter Japan,

ostensibly as tourists with visas, and then stay to work.

1

CONFIDENTIAL

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