JAPAN MOVES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 181, 3 July 1940, Page 6

JAPAN MOVES

WAR FEARS IN PACIFIC The latest news indicates that the possibility of hostilities extending to the Pacific, with Japan as the aggressor, cannot be overlooked. Previously Japan had the Dutch' East Indies as a tempting bait* l|ut though these islands, amply termed the treasure house of the Elr(U. would help to round off Japanese economy, the fear that/ she might be overwhelmed by superior naval forces constrained her to take no action in the meantime. Now, however, with the equally tempting bait of French Indo-China within far more easy reach, and with the possibility rapidly diminishing of the French and British Fleets being available, at least for many to dispute any thrust to the south, Japan is becoming restive. Following the signing of. the Russo-Ger-man non-aggression pact, Japanese policy appeared to break away from that of the Berlin-Rome axis, but recent events, including a reshuffle of the Japanese Cabinet to include Ministers more inclined to take advantage of the European situation, have served to demonstrate that the gains which Japan might secure from an axis policy are considerable < Rttssiflj it now appears, has sadly miscalculated in signing the pact, and is likely to be keeping so wary an eye open upon Germany that she is scarcely likely to inter- , fere in the Far East; Japan hias seen in the situation an opportunity to cut off back-door communication to China through the BurmaChungking road and through French Indo-China; and she may yet seize possessions owned by the Allies in the Singapore area. In fact, if the United States does not show more signs of being ready to guard her own and Allied interests in the East, it would not be pessimistic to say it .would be surprising if the movement of part of the Japanese Fleet to French Indo-China is not fraught with more dire intentions than those which have been given out. Responsible Japanese circles may state that they are concerned at the prospect of these territories passing to the victors in Europe to the disadvantage of Japan, but the fact remains that Nazi and Italian propaganda has not been slow to advertise that a rich feast would result in the Pacific if Britain a™d France could be overthrown, whilst if Germany or Italy took over these territories against the wish of an they could sioon be ousted ! ,bj ! the Japanese Fleet.