Show K i HMM J Japan pan Scraps Naval Pact And Seeks Equality Under New Defense Only Treaty Tokio Disclaims Desire for Armament Race Washington Wahington Agreement Will Expire on De December ember 31 1936 By By Associated Press ress WASHINGTON Dec 29 Japan 29 Japan scrapped the thc Wash Washington naval treaty today calling once m more re for lor a new pat pact w which ich would d give her equality and wipe out all o offensive weapons of war The historic moment the thc world wo-ld has has has' been awaiting came when Ambassador dor dos Saito stepped into the state department and handed Secretary Hull the formal notice that after December De Dc cember 31 1936 Japan will not be bound by the he treaty which gives her herthe herthe the 3 in the famous 5 3 ratio The Thc oriental diplomat who was present 12 years ago when the treat treaty limiting fighting navies was born thus sounded its death knell In a statement statement state state- ment he expressed hope a new treaty could be agreed upon within the next two years Japan he said is willing willingto to discard half haIr her navy if it a common common cornmon com corn mon maximum limit limU for the United States Great Britain and the far eastern east east- cm ern empire is established He said he was not at all anxious about the possibility of a n naval val race The peoples peoples' concerned are arc all in intelligent intelligent in he said and their governments gov gov- jire are rational No one wishes to engage in damaging naval building competition A statement b by the Japanese foreign foreign for tor eign office spokesman explaining Japans Japan's Japans Japans Ja pans pan's action was made public by the embassy hereIn here view it of the In said present state of extraordinary development in warship and other weapons o of war the existing naval treaties which recognize inequality of armaments arma ments among the powers can no longer afford security of national defense defense de de- de to Japan For this reason the new treaty should rest not upon a ratio principle but on the formula of an agreed com corn Continued on Pare Page Two JAPAN SCRAPS I NAVAL TREATY Tokio Calls for Equality Under Under Under Un Un- der New Pact Limiting Fleets to Defense Continued from PUt Pate One mon upper tipper limit for the armaments to be retained by each power In order It said to Uto render it difficult for any power to attack another but easy to defend itself the offensive arms should be totally abolished or drastically reduced and the he defensive arms adequately pro pro- vided The giant siant battleships and airplanes are arc Included in offensive weapons according to Japanese definitions inthe in inthe the he past The inferior interior ratio so detrimental to o our national prestige the statement statement statement state state- ment said is js is bound to remain a source of or permanent and profound discontent discontent discontent dis dis- dis- dis content to our people It is our firm belief bellel the statement statement statement state state- ment concluded that when the other powers a the essential fairness of Japans Japan's claims consent to tomake tomake tomake make a sweeping reduction in fighting fighting fight fight- i ht- ht ing strength along the lines proposed by our government then a full measure measure measure meas meas- ure of security will vill be afforded to the powers through the elimination of any possible menace from one another and an enduring peace established established established es es- es- es upon a solid basis Treaty Dies flies In 1936 Under the Washington ton treaty's treats provisions provisions pro pro- visions the earliest date on which the pact pad can be scrapped is the one chosen by Japan toda today December 31 1936 Japans Japan's formal denunciation followed followed fol fol- fol- fol lowed unsuccessful talks in London designed to smooth the way for the 1935 naval conference Another naval treat treaty the London pact automatically ends on December cember 31 1936 Thus there will be no International International International In In- agreement limiting navies after that date unless a new one is signed The denunciation delivered to the state slate as s custodian of the treat treaty came as an climax anticlimax to more I than a years year's discussion of or naval af af- af- af fairs Repeatedly Japanese spokesmen spokes spokes- men had forecast the decisive step unless unless unless un un- less Great Britain and the United States Stales agreed to scrap the 5 3 ratio and grant Japan equality in tonnage Japan Near Limit Japans Japan's action today was taken after it had built up tip to within one small ship of the total tonnage permitted it by the Washington treaty During the London talks American and Br British tish spokesmen had expressed the fear that abrogation of the limitation limi limi- tation treaties might lead to a naval armaments race The official stand of or this government as expressed by a high authority last week is a hope that a new treaty can be signed and a wish that big navy talk lalk be avoided When the Japanese delegation in London let it be known that Japan would end the pact Norman H. H Davis American spokesman warned of the danger of insecurity international suspicion and costly naval tion lion I Race Looms in 1942 Some time ago Saito said there would be no naval race at least until until until un un- un- un til 1942 That is the year when the United States now 78 ships under treaty strength expects to have built up to the pacts pact's limit Japans Japan's attitude at London resulted In strong diplomatic suggestions concerning concerning concerning con con- future cooperation between United States Slates and Great Britain on naval affairs Saito served his governments government's nolice notice notice no- no tice lice on the United States Slates because this country Is custodian of or the pact The state department must now fulfill its ils treaty-ordained treaty duty by notifying Great Britain France and Italy the theother theother theother other signatories SAITO EXPLAINS ACTION Saito after formally deno denouncing the Washington treaty today 1 issued the following explanation of ot Japans Japan's action Although the Japanese government govern govern- m ment nt has given notice according to tile the terms of ot the Washington naval treaty of its Intention to terminate the agreement it has done so 50 with the sincere hope to have a substitute accord that will embody the proposals proposals proposals pro pro- we have made One feature of these proposals has been given iven in opinion undue emphasis by critics That is the claim for equality We have also proposed a radical reduction in naval armament armament arma arma- ment capable of or a aggression We are proposing the total abolition abolition aboU- aboU tion lion of the big and expensive warships warships war war- ships covered by the Washington treaty i. i c e. capital ships and aircraft carriers We are arc ready to go down downto to as far as the half of our present naval strength But too little has been said n or C this Na Navy Slash On bot both boti material and moral grounds we we earnestly desire a substantial sub reduction that will free the nations of anxiety regarding the possibilities possibilities possibilities pos pos- of war We want the others to be free of any anxiety regarding us and we want to be free of any regarding them uIt It It is to be noted that our our claim for equality or parity is a necessary prerequisite to such real reduction in inthe inthe inthe the navies Furthermore our proposal proposal pro pro- is not to have our navy the equal of that of the United States or Great Britain suddenly overnight Japan wishes that a common maximum maximum maxi maxi- mum limit for Cor navies will be agreed upon and each power to retain the ri right ht to build up to it as the necessity of the situation dictates Creates Heavy Burden The maintenance of ot excessive arm armaments is not only a heavy burden burden burden bur bur- den on all the peoples who support them but has the unfortunate effect of creating suspicions of ot purpose and giving rise from time to time to alarms There is enough difficult work for each ench the of-the three great naval powers to do In Its It own country and in its own proper sphere of ot the world without contemplating the possibility possibility possibility pos pos- of at war with either of the others and pr preparing for so remote an eventuality Accord among amon them therefore ou ought ht to be attainable on a reasonable reasonable reasonable reason reason- able basis and happily there is plenty of time io for fo foan an accord to be reached before our notification be becomes effective effective ef ef- ef two years ears hence No Fur Fear for Fear for Future But even If It no accord can be reached I am not hot at all anxious over H I j jj j the he consequences The peoples concerned concerned con- con are all intelligent and their governments are rational No one wishes to engage in damaging naval building competition There has never been a serious armed conflict between the United States and any of or the far ar eastern nations na na- ions and as your secret secretary ry of stale and our foreign minister have agreed there here Is no problem between the United St States tes and Japan that can not be settled by diplomatic means Having no conflict of interest that thatis is not overwhelmingly outweighed by our mutually beneficial relations there is no logical reason for us to compete in armaments Therefore as I see it an end of and anda a development of accord is the part of ot wisdom as well as the duty of our I nations Strikes at Jingoes It is gratifying and md heartening to note that the governments of this I I country and Japan are now endeavor endeavor- lag ing ng to stop jingoes in both countries from rom making irresponsible and Inflammatory Inflammatory inflammatory in In- utterances It Il is time for Jr all of us to ponder the situation seri seri- Bearing in mind the friendship and statesmanship which have successfully suc sue solved many questions between between between be be- tween our out two countries in the past and the good sense and sportsmanship sportsmanship sportsmanship sportsman sportsman- ship of or the two vo peoples I am always hopeful and optimistic |