AGAINST U.S. TREATY |
“A crowd, estimated by. police to number 138,000, rallied at . Harumi Pier in Tokyo port March 20 to protest the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty. The rally, called by the Japan Communist party, was part of a nationwide: protest movement which brought out more than 1,000,000 demonstraters in more than “400 cities and towns. o
Unions, ‘students and pacifist organizations participated in the rallies. In the Tokyo demonstration, farmers came in fron _.. Tomisato in Chiba Prefecture. They are against the proposed construction of a second Tokyo international airport in the area.
The Tokyo rally adopted a resolution calling for an end to. the war in Vietnam. A resolution was also passed demanding that the government cancel a proposed visit to Japan by the south Vietnam puppet premier Nguyen Cao. Ky.
Meanwhile: the Japan Socialist party tossed the Japanese government a hot potato by inviting the Chinese People's Institute of. Foreign Affairs to send a. delegation to Japan.
The Chinese institute responded with a- telegram accepting the invitation. The telegram | added :
"On the basis of our - fourth joint sonnuniqué, we should like
to exchange opinions in a friendly atmosphere in order to step up our campaign against U.S. imperialism."
The Japan Socialist party immediately put pressure on the Japanese government to. grant visas to the Chinese, who stated that they expected to arrive in Tokyo on or about April 10 for a three~. week stay. oa
“Apparently the government would not be averse to a further aétente in relations with China, but the problem is very "subtle and delicate." In brief there is the pressure of the Big Brother in Washington to consider. Consequently, the Foreign Office stated that it was giving ¢ "very careful study" to the request. . One of the sticklers is the clear announcement of thé Chinese visitors. that their purpose is to discuss a campaign against U.S. imperialism. If the Japanese Foreign Office decides that this is a "political". aim, the visas will most likely be denied, since visitors from countries that do not have: diplomatic relations with Japan are barred from entering the country if their objective is "political."