JAP WAR CRIMES TRIAL

Chronicle (Levin), 20 September 1946, Page 5

JAP WAR CRIMES TRIAL

PROSECUTOR'S DISCI.OSIIRES Received Thursdav, 7 p.m. TOKIO, Sept. 18. Opening the eharges against Tojo and other .Japanese Ieaders, before tlie War Criraes Tribunal, the jiroseeut or, Mr. Frank' Tavenner, said Tojo was so conlident of victory that he told Gerniany in 1940 he would need only part of Japan's army to invade and crush Pnited States. Alr. Tavenner said Germany at lirst condenined .lapan's invasion of f'hina but in 1938 eondoned the. Japanese con"queatr of uNanchgm, .reecigttikiirg Alaiv chukhbv j -Go.fineny and .lajian then agcigeil Iliaf Titpssia was tifei# oneniy arut arr^ngft'il i/frtd oxe.hUaigedvi^p'lonage', iii; fdi-itihfioif abont Russia, but "when',Hil|ier signed the noit-aggression paet with the Soviet in 1989, .lapan 's Ieaders were terrified and later were. worrieil lest the advancing aiul coiiquering Germany would envelop Jndochina and Siam which Japan wanted for herself. Therefore to satixfy Germany Japan iriformed that she was keeping the United States fleet worrieil in tlse Pacilic. About the same time Tojo told von Ribbentrop that there was no cause for concern as to fighting United States on land. Germany insisted that Jap-va sliould capture Singapore to weakeu B'ritain and keep United States preoccupied in the Paeifie and also should lirst fight Russia before attacking the Fi'ench, Dutch and British colonies. The Japanese Ieaders, however, were bent ira going southward and boasted that Sin gapore would be seized in grand strle from sea and land. Later the Japanese policy ehanged and they made the fateful decision to attack Pearl Harbour. Mr. Tavenner asserted that LieutGeueral Oshinia, Japanese anibassad ir to Germany, and also Sliiratori, arabaslador to Italy, double-crossed Tokio hy iidvising Germany to jockev Japan into the war.