Japanese Poachers In Pacific

F would be easy to exaggerate the significance of the swarms of Japanese sampans which have appeared in the Central and South-western Pacific, where they are deliberately and

systematically stealing trochus-shell and

other marine products from British and French territorial waters. We are inclined to be a little nervy where Japanese activities are concerned, and to see in this poaching pest a manifesta tion of the thrusting power of Japan, We have examined the details of scores of poaching incidents, since the poachers first became a nuisance some three years ago; and we can say that in no instance, where the Japanese have been intercepted and detained by Euro peans, has there been any real disorder, nor any attempt to resist arrest. Wher ever possible, the Japanese have attempted to escape arrest; and, in the incident in the Fijian River (reported in this issue), they came near to a dis play of hostile force. But, almost

invariably, the poachers have submitted quietly when caught, and have shown philosophic calm when, as has happened invariably, they have been heavily fined and their ships and cargoes confiscated.

The Japanese Government, grimly and silently, has undertaken the task of repatriating the poachers who have been marooned in the various islands by the confiscation of their ships.

These circumstances make it clear that the Japanese Government, as well as the Japanese themselves, recognise that the trochus-fishers who invade territorial waters are engaging in an illegal enterprise, and that they must take, without resistance, whatever punishment is coming to them. It seems that this epidemic of sampan poachers has no national or official significance—it is simply organised thieving, undertaken by a reckless and adventurous class of people.

The Fead Islands incident bears this out. There is no doubt that the sam-

Europeans, and that their practice is to scare away the natives and help them selves to the shell. They have corn mitted a few outrages, such as burning huts, seizing women and stealing food stuffs—the sort of thing to be expected of sea-rovers who are conscious of law breaking—but they have avoided mur der. It is evident that they thought the Fead Islands were still in a primitive state, and they used firearms more to intimidate the natives than to kill any one' for they left in a great hurry as soon * s the y dlscovered that the group 15 ln wopean occupa ion.

In other words, these poachers are a great and growing nuisance, raiding our territorial waters and destroying our valuable and irreplaceable shell beds, but they are not the recognised emissaries of Imperialistic Japan. The southwards thrust of Japan will come, inevitably, but surely it is not to be heralded by a swarm of irresponsible shell-poachers. Japan seems unwilling to defend or protect them, The poachers represent a serious

problem, nevertheless. Unless their activities are greatly curtailed, many of the best trochus-beds in British and French waters will soon disappear. It is a monstrous thing that the heavy cost of patrolling and protecting these waters against Japanese should be thrown solely upon the British and French Administrations—the responsi

bility, surely, belongs primarily to

Japan. If Japan will not take respon sibility for her nationals, Britain and France should decline to be responsible, also, for any unfortunate thing which happens to Japanese subjects who per sistently break international law.

There are signs that the French in New Caledonia are not going to treat the poachers as gently as the British have done.

But, if the poacher trouble per se has no significance as an organised national manifestation, it would be unwise to regard it as having no significance at all. We people who live in half developed Pacific countries may not, for one moment, forget that 100,000,000 people are packed into the Japanese Archipelago, and that they are increas ing by 1,000,000 every year. There are 1077 Japanese to every square mile of arable land —a density of population twice that of Belgium, three times that of Italy, four times that of Britain and Germany. The Japanese must have new territory or, alternatively, new trade through which they may buy foreign-grown food for the millions who are being crowded off the soil.

Otherwise, Japan will perish.

The poachers are an irritating and expensive problem: but a little real organisation and co-operation will stop their depredations. The thing that is alarming is the appearance of these

well-equipped Japanese in such large

numbers, and in such a strange temper.

We strike at them, and push them off; and they do not strike back at us, and they come on in increasing numbers.

They do not appear to want to break the law: they simply are being pushed onto us by the weight of the incredible millions behind.

What can we do about it ? We may not stop the Japanese from breeding.

Fundamental laws operate to-day, as they did thousands of years ago. An overcrowded people naturally seek new lands, and what they may not occupy

peacefully they take, anyhow.

The writing is on the wall. .But the wall is no place for the sword and the rifle.