NAZI-JAPAN PACT STORY DISCOUNTED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 229, 26 September 1940, Page 7

NAZI-JAPAN PACT STORY DISCOUNTED.

JVO CONFIRMATION.

.Trial Balloon " Is Opinion In America. United Press Association.—Copyright. (Reed. 11 a.m.) LOXDOX, Sept. 25. A message from Washington says that officials there received with reserve the reports of a defence alliance between Japan and Germany. They do not doubt that diplomatic collaboration exists, but they regard the Shanghai reports as a trial balloon to test the opinion of the remainder of the world, particularly; the United States. * j Such a pact, it was said, would throw Japan openly into war with Britain and would certainly aggravate the strained relations with the United States. | An earlier message said that authoritative reports reaching Shanghai from | Tokyo stated that Japan and Germany had agreed in principle to a defensive alliance, which would become effective in the' event of collaboration between Britain and America, such as the joint U6e of the Singapore Base, in which case Japan would abandon her policy of non-involvement in the war. It is officially stated in London that reports of a German-Japanese defensive alliapce are unconfirmed. The reports stated that Hitler's personal representative. Sthamer, had negotiated a provisional German-Japanese defensive pact, which envisaged worldwide diversion of American attention, especially in South America, and the Far East. Authoritative sources in Tokyo declare that the Japanese Imperial Conference on September 19 approved of an alliance with Germany in principle. However, the announcement is to be delayed pending the Privy Council's formal ratification of it. It is understood it does not envisage the immediate abandonment of Japan's policy of non-involve-ment. but sets a policy to be adopted in the event of an "'Anglo-American front." It is further stated that the alliance includes German assurances of good offices toward Russia amounting to a Russo-Japanese non -aggression pact, which would free Japan's move southward. The Tokyo newspaper "Hoclii." commenting on Mr. Cordell Hull's condemnation of the entry of Japanese 'troops j into Indo-Cliina. says to blame Japan: is as absurd as the alleged Anglo-Ameri-can joint defence agreement regarding Sinjrapore. The "Xiclii Xiclii"' charges the United States, Britain and Australia with preparing "aggressive formations" against the Netherlands Indies and other southwestern Pacific countries for the purpose of interfering with Japan's southward policy. It adds: '"British and American economic pressure will be powerless to restrain Japan, who will push her fixed policy with f<£sh energy." It further points out that Australia hae, since July, been refusing permits for wool exports, and that country therefore may be regarded as having completely fallen in with the Anglo-American "Far Eastern front."

The Tokyo radio announced that Japan is ordering 1.000.000 yen worth of wool from the Argentine.