JAP. WARMONGERS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 178, 30 July 1942, Page 5

JAP. WARMONGERS

FORCES BEHIND PARTY

Extremist Army Officers

Blamed

United Press Association.—Copyright Rec. 1 p.m. NEW YORK, July 29.

Mr. Otto Tolischus, New York Times correspondent who was evacuated from Japan, cabling from Lourenco Marques, says that the forces behind the Japanese war party are:— Firstly, extremist army officers under the leadership of Air Chief General Doihara and General Shunroku Hata, Commander-in-Chief in. China, backed up by Kumataro Honda, Ambassador to Nanking, the Japanese senior statesman; secondly, the ultra-Nationalist Tohokai, under, the leadership of Seigo Nakano„ which was the tool of the military istf. and German Nazis. This group issued threats of wholesale assassinations.

Thirdly Is a group of bureaucrats advocating totalitarianism rather than war.

Japan is so thoroughly committed to China that any hope of inducing her to withdraw from China was futile from the start, and was made a fundamental settlement between Japan and the United States impossible. However, Honoye Matsuoka, formerly Foreign Secretary, considered it possible to pursue the China policy and at the same time avoid war with Britain and America.

Pursuing this aim they entered into the alliance with Germany to keep the United States from war by intimidation. When that policy failed, Konoye split with Matsuoka fjjd tried to reach agreement in the Washington negotiations. His plans were wrecked by the attempted assassination of Hiranuma and the threatened repetition of the revolt of February 26, 1936, which Japan could not afford, in view of the international situation.

The United Press correspondent at Lourenco Marques states that the United States Ambassador, Mr Grew, while awaiting exchange of Japanese and American diplomats and nationals, received a request for a conference from Ambassador Nomura while they were both at Lourenco Marques. Mr. Grew refused.