JAPAN: Ambassadors

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Ambassadors are exchangeable commodities. When Washington announced (TIME, Sept. 8, NATIONAL AFFAIRS) that it was sending Edgar Addison Bancroft to Tokyo as U. S. Ambassador to Japan, Tokyo scouted about to find someone to send to Washington as Japanese Ambassador to the U. S. in succession to smiling Ambassador Masanao Hanihara.

The choice was said to have fallen upon Tokichi Tanaka, whilom Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, whilom Counselor of Embassy at the Washington Embassy, whilom Consul at Seattle. But Eki Hioki, once Japanese Ambassador to Germany, and Tsunso Matsudaira, a subminister in the present Cabinet, were also mentioned as mar ketable diplomats.

Meanwhile, the Nichi-Nichi, chief vernacular sheetlet of the Eastern Capital, "enthused" over the appointment of Mr. Bancroft:

"Whether or not he has any special interest in the Far East is a question that will not alter our attitude toward the new Ambassador. We welcome a man who comes to our country with a clean, white sheet of paper, free of experience. He may be freer to do what he believes ought to be done.

"Whether he be pro-Japanese or not is immaterial. What we hope is that he will see things as they are and will face Japanese-American problems squarely, and will have the courage to solve them, to do what he believes right without regard to Japanese criticism; but at the same time, if he finds injustice among his own countrymen, to say so boldly."