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(iii)

(iv)

Page 160

that this sum would be wholly inadequate to meet even the claims already registered in the United Kingdom. Japanese assets held in British Colonial and Protected territories would be wholly inadequate to meet claims in those territories. The disposal of these assets also must, however, await the conclusion of a Peace Treaty and the subsequent decision of Colonial Governments."

that a new paragraph in the following terms should be

inserted after paragraph 9:

"It may with justice be asked, however, in what manner His Majesty's Government proposed to dispose of Japanese assets in the United Kingdom once a Peace Treaty has made their realisation possible. As has already been indicated, their estimated value amounts to a small fraction of the value of the claims already registered in this country.

The minute sub-division and distribution of this sum amongst the many thousands of deserving cases would confer little real benefit nor could such small sums in any sense be considered compensation for their losses and sufferings. His Majesty's Government have therefore decided that after the Peace Treaty the net value of the Japanese assets in the United Kingdom which they obtained should be used for the endowment or otherwise for the benefit of organisations and institutions whose work has been and can be of most value in helping those, now resident in the United Kingdom, who suffered, and the dependants in the United Kingdom of those who died as a result of captivity or internment by the Japanese during the

The Government propose further that the decision as to which particular organisations and institutions shall benefit should be taken after consultation with representatives of associations of ex-prisoners-of-war and ex-internees from the Far East and other interested parties."

war.

that an oral question should be put down and the answer

given that in view of the length of the reply it should be circulated with the official report.

For convenience of reference I attach a revised draft of the statement incorporating the suggestions in paragraph 5 (ii) and (iii)

above.

Foreign Office, S. W.1.,

20TH APRIL, 1951.

H. M.

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