HL Deb 23 February 1960 vol 221 cc197-8

2.19 p.m.

VISCOUNT ELIBANK

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government—

  1. (1) Whether, under the Japanese Peace Treaty of 1952, Article 18 (b), the Japanese Government announced its intention to encourage negotiations in respect of pre-war claims and obligations;
  2. (2) Whether, some seven years later, in a joint communiqué of 5th July, 1959, the Japanese Prime Minister, Mr. Kishi, gave an assurance that the Japanese Government would do its best to settle at an early date the approximately £1,000,000 pre-war claims of British nationals against Japan which were filed in 1946; and whether Her Majesty's Government have any information to show that the Japanese Government will implement its expressed intentions and assurances and will settle these long outstanding claims at a very early date.]

EARL ST. ALDWYN

My Lords, the answer to the noble Viscount's first Question is that the Japanese Government did announce such an intention. As regards the second Question, it is true that the Japanese Prime Minister said that his Government would do their best to bring the matter to a conclusion at an early date. Her Majesty's Government have no reason to doubt the sincerity of the Japanese assurances, but, as my noble friend has already said in answer to previous questions from the noble Viscount, we are disappointed at the slow rate of progress.

VISCOUNT ELIBANK

My Lords, I beg to thank the noble Earl for his Answer. Would it not be as well if Mr. Kishi and his Government realised that they cannot have it both ways and expect the maximum of goodwill on the part of Great Britain in trade and other matters whilst they adopt this dilatory and unsatisfactory attitude to the long outstanding pre-war claims of British nationals?