§ 4. Mr. MANDERasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is satisfied that, as a result of recent diplomatic exchanges with Japan, no objection will be raised by that country to the continuance of the work being carried out in China by the League of Nations; and whether he has now received information from the League of Nations with regard to the communication made by Mr. Yokoyama, Japanese Consul-General in Geneva, to M. Avenol, Secretary-General of the League?
§ Sir J. SIMONI have no official information regarding the Japanese attitude as regards League work in China : the subject has not been mentioned in 1071 recent communications from the Japanese Government. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.
§ Mr. MANDERIn view of the very definite statements which have appeared in the Press that an official statement was made on behalf of Japan to the Secretary of the League, M. Avenol, will the right hon. Gentleman make inquiries as to whether those statements are true, as it is a very serious matter?
§ Sir J. SIMONI imagine that the hon. Gentleman is referring to what he has read and I have read in the Press. If he is referring to the statements that I have seen, they included a statement that M. Avenol had contradicted some of the suggestions made as to what the Japanese representatives had said.
§ Mr. MANDERI gathered that there was a statement officially made to M. Avenol?
§ Sir J. SIMONI did not say so. I said that I had seen a statement in the Press to the effect that M. Avenol had issued a contradiction of some of the subject matter of the communication.
§ Mr. MANDERWhen the right hon. Gentleman visits the council next week, is this matter not of sufficient importance for him to make inquiries?