Armament > Memorandum relating to the proposals of the Japanese delegation (Conf. D.94)

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Official No.: Conf. D. 114.
Geneva, April 13th, 1932.
LEAGUE OF NATIONS
Conference for the Reduction and Limitation
of Armaments
MEMORANDUM RELATING TO THE PROPOSALS OF THE
JAPANESE DELEGATION
(Conf. D. 94)
1. Adoption of the draft Convention as the basis of discussion.
2. Assurances to be provided for with a view to safeguarding each contracting party
from menaces caused by the armaments of one or more States not party to the treaty or by
the non-observance of treaty obligations on the part of one or more of the contracting parties.
In view of the relative nature of national armaments, and in view of the present world
situation in which certain countries with peculiar political, social and economic structures,
or with disturbed internal conditions, are holding enormous armaments, creating the sense
of uneasiness in the minds of their neighbouring peoples, it is considered necessary that
measures be taken to remove fears that will be caused by the armaments of non-signatory
Powers or the possible non-observance of treaty obligations on the part of some signatories,
in order that the proposed General Disarmament Convention may be found acceptable to the
Powers and be put into force at an early date.
For the above purpose, the following suggestions are made :
(1) To facilitate the acceptance of the Convention (a) by carefully fixing the number
of ratifications necessary for the coming into force of the Convention, or (b) by stipulating
that each Power should be bound by the Convention upon the completion of ratifications
of certain countries to be specified by that Power.
(2) Against the non-observance of the Convention, the fullest measure of guarantee
should be given to the signatories in the scope of Articles 50, 51, 52 and 54 of the draft
Convention or by other appropriate means.
3. Limitation and reduction of land and air armaments to be effected in such manner
as to leave room for rectification of apparent defects in elements.
Certain Powers have availed themselves of special occasions to modernise, in a remarkable
manner, their land and air forces, while in others these forces are still in the making. Again,
advanced civil aviation enables some countries to foster military aviation, while such is not
the case with some others. In an effort to reach agreement on the limitation and reduction
of armaments, it is irrational to apply a uniform criterion to various countries whose peculiar
conditions of armaments require careful consideration.
4. Prohibition of air bombardment of cities and towns and other methods of attack
on civil populations.
Aerial bombardment for the purpose of terrorising or injuring the civilian population,
of destroying or damaging cities, towns and non-military establishments, should be prohibited,
while a specific agreement should be reached concerning the objectives, outside the field
of the operations of land forces, at which aerial bombardment may be directed in
the unavoidable cases of military necessity.
5. Prohibition of chemical and bacteriological warfare.
6. Reduction in the unit size of the capital ships and the calibre of their guns.
S. d. N. 3.330 (F.) 2.475 (A.) 4/32 Imp. du J. de G.
Series of League of Nations Publications
IX. DISARMAMENT
1932. IX. 41.
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