JAPAN AND WAR

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 46, 18 November 1926, Page 11

JAPAN AND WAR

NATIONAL PREPARATIONS i MOBILISATION OF INDUSTRY “It is often stated that' the military party in Japan-is* discredited and impotent,” says Mr. A. Morgan _ Young, the editor of the “Japan Chronicle,” of Kobe, in the "Contemporary Review” for ■. September. “It would be more correct to say that it : s strong enough to be -moderate, and wise enough to be cautious. Since the earthquake, : it is true, there has been a somewhat ■ chastened feeling, but more in civilian than in military circles, tnd.it is passing away.” - Sir. Young_ says that constitutionally Japan remains a military country. : That is to Say, the array and navy are-directly under Jarliaraehtary control. - ‘The Minister of War must be a general, and the Minister Tor 'the navy an admiral. They . can upset any CabinetJ.by- resigning if they do .not get what they demand, and others cannot be found to -eplace them until the demand is -made good. , Moreover, the chief-of- the general staff has the right of audience of the Emperor whenever he wishes, and the Emperor may take action through Imperial ordinance, which no Cabinet would dare to resist. .' Japan is keeping to the letter-of tlie'Washington nayal agreement, but, like France, is doing what is possible in the building of smaller vessels. Two battleships incourse of construction were launched, and turned into immense aeroplane carriers. Ther hulls could easily be re- : converted into fighting ships. “One strong point in military affairs in Japan is secrecy,” says Mr. Young The is forbidden ,to mention all manner of things”, and forbidden to mention the prohibitions...- ’.’ he fortifications'of the Bonin Islands were be- ' ing completed during the Washington Conference at a time when certain Japanese newspapers were declaring in dfi-good faith'that they wefe..i,ot fortified; ' It’is true" that the hrmv. has , been recently reduced bv four divisions, but the disbanded officers have been j attached to seendary schools whicli have been turned into officers’ training corps.' “The'' pupils with their new i rifles were, inarched - to : the "pproved Shinto shrines, where an impressive ritual blessed the new enterprise,” says Mr. Young. But mosfCsignificant of all, in his opinion, are the’many signs of the mobilisation of industry. Every ’ factory renders complete • eturns of its plant and workers to-tlie police, and any industry .of possible-military value, however uneconomic its establishment, may confidently ...claim ,a Government subsidy. Mr. Young thinks that Japan is not contemplating any particular war, but that she is-extremely-. sensitive abcut' her. influence in Manchuria, the coat-and iron, oil and ’foodstuffs of which are regarded as making that c,puntrv _strategically a. part of Japan. A collision, with Russia’s Eastern ambitions'or with- - atioiialism is 'imbtig the possibilities most - keenly present to -the official' wind t>f Japan.