§ Mr. R. Morganasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that an important American corporation has recently been asked by the Japanese authorities at Tsingtao why it had shipped its cargo in a British vessel, and was informed that if further shipments arrived in any other than Japanese vessels they would not be accorded the same favourable importation facilities as applied to cargo in Japanese vessels; and whether he will take up this case with the Japanese Government as a typical example of the Japanese policy of strangling British trade in the Far East?
§ Mr. ButlerMy noble Friend's attention has been drawn to the report in question, but confirmatory evidence cannot be obtained. There appear, however, to have been a number of instances where shippers have been influenced to ship by 1159W other than British vessels and the whole matter is now receiving active consideration.
§ Captain A. Grahamasked the Prime Minister whether he has any information as to the composition of the Asia Development Board set up by the Japanese Government in China; and whether the Asia Development Board is responsible for the discrimination against British shipping at Tsingtao and elsewhere?
§ Mr. ButlerThe Asia Development Board is an organ of the Japanese Government with a number of liaison offices in China. Its president is the Japanese Prime Minister, and the Ministers for Finance, Foreign Affairs, War and the Navy are vice-presidents. I do not think it would serve any useful purpose to assess the responsibility for discrimination against British interests of any particular Japanese agent; wherever such discrimination occurs, representations are made either to the appropriate local Japanese authority or to the Japanese Government itself.