American Reporter’s
p. 74 · Read in the full issue
Jap Eyes On N.
Guinea
American Reporter’s Impression
The following, by a United Press man Jf 1 Toluo, Ernest Hobrecht, was pub lished in Sydney “Daily Telegraph” on March 3: MANY prominent Japanese are pri vately suggesting that Japan should be permitted to send 40,000,000 of her people to New Guinea.
Hobrecht says that supporters of the plan believe it would solve Japan’s popu lation problem.
They know quite well what Australian reaction to the suggestion would be.”
Hobrecht adds. “But they are quietly lobbying every American they meet hop ing to gain US support for the idea.” says Japanese leaders insist that something must be done to solve Japan s population problem. Japan’s population last year increased by 2,000.000 to 80,697,491. It is expected to reach 100.000.000 by 1968.
“Supporters of the New Guinea migra tion idea say that birth control, which the Japanese are reluctantly beginning to practise will help only in the distant future,” Hobrecht adds. “They believe migration is the only immediate solution.
They claim that the vast mineral and agricultural wealth of New Guinea has been barely scratched, and that there is plenty of room both for Japanese migrants and New Guinea natives.”
Report Sharply Denied
AUSTRALIAN newspapers, avid for headlines, seized upon a statement made in Tokio on March 7 by Dr.
Stanley Jones, described as an “evange list.” He said that he was a friend of President Roosevelt and the Jap Ambassa dor to USA in 1941, and acted as a middle-man between them, and he stated that Roosevelt approved a plan to buy New Guinea and give it to Japan, for the settlement of Japan’s surplus population.
The Japanese, Nomura, confirmed the statement.
In Canberra on March 8 the Australian Prime Minister, Mr. Chifley, and the former Prime Minister, Mr. Menzies, de clared that the Australian Government had never consulted with anybody in re lation to such a plan, and there was nothing on record to indicate that the idea had been even unofficially discussed, as alleged by the evangelist.