STRATEGIC MOVE

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 84, 5 October 1940, Page 11

STRATEGIC MOVE

APPROACH TO SOVIET

EYES ON SINGAPORE

BURMA ROAD ISSUE

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.)

LONDON, October 3.

The Rome radio states that Japan is making an effort to settle her differences with Russia. The Japanese Ambassador in Moscow has been invested with "the necessary powers to enable him to solve outstanding Russian-Japanese problems." Inspired Italian comment asserts that Japan is attempting to place ' herself in the best possible* "strategic position against Singapore, in case of British hostility forcing Japan to attack the base. It is asserted that Japan is doing her utmost to extend her influence to Thailand in order to prepare for economic and spiritual penetration of the Dutch East Indies. ' The "Kokumin Shimbun" (Tokio) says: "The first measure of increased British and American pressure against Japan will probably be the reopening of the Burma route. It is obvious that the United States is behind this mischief. British anti-Japanese manoeuvres are understandable, for Britain is doomed in "Europe. While Japanese evacuation from London does not mean the immediate entry of Japan into the European war, Britain should know that the evacuation was not caused by difficulties of living and trade."

The "Chugai Shogyo Shimpo" says: "Unless Britain and the United States openly show their teeth against Japan by deliberately perverting the tripartite pact or through imaginary fears, there is no reason why Japan should not try to remain friendly with them. Japan can adopt a calm watch-and-see attitude."

It is officially stated in Chungking that Chinese planes for the first time in the war flew over Peking and dropped 200,000 handbills. The planes did not encounter Japanese aerial resistance.