§ Mr. Pickthornasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on what principle or provision of international-law, was based the order from Supreme Allied Headquarters to the Japanese Government to end the feudal system of land tenure and to eliminate absentee ownership.
Mr. Noel-BakerThe acts of the Supreme Commander on behalf of the Allied Powers are based on the Potsdam Declaration, which, under the Instrument of Surrender, the Japanese authorities recognised and agreed to carry out. The abolition of the feudal system of land tenure and of absentee ownership is intended to implement those parts of the Declaration under which the Allied Governments are pledged to remove the obstacles to democratic development in Japan and to eliminate influences which tend to make for war.