Chinese, Go Home!

When 60-year-old Economist Hayato Ikeda succeeded hapless Nobusuke Kishi as Premier of Japan three weeks ago, a hopeful gleam lit up Peking's eyes. Though Ikeda, of course, was avowedly pro-American, he had once expressed enthusiasm for a revival of Japanese trade with China. Peking thought a little buttering up might pay off.

Off to Tokyo's Sixth World Conference Against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs went a 15-man Red Chinese delegation headed by veteran "Unionist" Liu Ning-yi. It was the kind of occasion suited to Peking's purposes: Japan relived its sorrowing memories on the 15th anniversary of the cloud over Hiroshima that killed more than 70,000 people in one flash. And to show Japan how lovable its big neighbor was, Red China's Premier Chou En-lai dropped in at a Swiss embassy reception in Peking to lecture hosts and guests on Red China's professed devotion to "peaceful coexistence."

Communist delegations, however, have a talent for invincible insensitivity. Arriving at Tokyo's Haneda Airport, Delegate Liu announced that he brought Red China's"hearty congratulations to the Japanese people for preventing the Eisenhower war-planning visit and overthrowing the Kishi Cabinet." And at the anti-bomb conference, Liu and Japan's Red-lining Chairman Kaoru Yasui congratulated each other on "a series of victories over American imperialism" in a manner so heavy-handed that participating organizations ranging from the Japan Federation of Youth to the Federation of Housewives threatened to withdraw from the conference unless the "political manipulation" stopped.

Retiring to their hotel rooms, Liu and his fellow delegates then settled down to waiting for what they anticipated would be a parade of Japanese businessmen and politicians seeking a new Tokyo-Peking accommodation. But the parade never took place. Instead, even those Japanese newspapers that had sympathized with the June riots against Kishi proceeded to lambaste the Chinese delegation for "intervention in Japan's domestic affairs." Snapped Tokyo Shimbun: "The June demonstrations were manifestations of the people's anger against the Kishi Cabinet, not against Eisenhower. This Chinese delegation was expected to improve Japan-Peking relations. Instead, it has aggravated them."

Premier Ikeda and his government were not happy about their guests either. Originally, the Japanese Foreign Office had promised to extend Liu & Co.'s visitors' visas if they behaved. At week's end the Foreign Office let it be known that "in present circumstances" the Chinese delegation would probably have to leave Japan on schedule this week.

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