The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10th 1024. JAPAN AND AMERICA.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 December 1924, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10th 1024. JAPAN AND AMERICA.

Till: siispieioii with which the imjieiiding Pacific cruise of the American Fleet is regarded by some sections in Japan, says the Wellington ‘•Dominion”, must be attributed rather to the element of strain which lias recently entered into Aineiican-Japaiie.se reations than to the real merits of the ease. Japanese .sentiment. according to one cablegram, a;>- | cal's to be vigorously opposed to the entire Hawaiian manoeuvres of the American Fleet, as well as to the Auk-

trnlin ii visit. [t was add oil. however that mo res] ousihh- official either in Washington or in Tokio was desirous ol expressing open disapproval. Xo respon.silile person in Japan appears li have any idea of making a protest, hat on the other hand there is nothing ti indicate that the Japanese (tovernnienl is dome anything to discredit the idea that the American cruise amounts to an anti-Japanese gesture. This evidently must he regretted. Tt is unfortunate at a direct view that alarmist ideas with re. lerence to the cruise should go union, tradicted in Japan, and in addition some resentment is awakened in the United States at what is there regarded as an unwarranted expression of anti-American sentiment in Japan. A danger thus appears that one misconception may he piled upon another with cumulative ill effect. Anything ol jingoism or war spirit that exists in either country obviously is likely to he fanned and quickened while this state of mutual misunderstanding and suspicion continues. At an unprejudiced view, the projected cruise of the American Fleet in no way warrants Japanese suspicions. The United States is onlyproposing to do on a hig scale, what

other nations, Japan included, have done over and over agoin. Where a nation possesses a modern fleet of a strength determined by international agreement it certainly is not exceeding its rights in exercising that fleet in an extended cruise. All strategic considerations apart, a long ocean cruise is a recognised mentis of building up the efficiency of a fleet. The .Japanese must he unduly sensitive in the matter of foreign naval operations, if the uneasiness with which they regard the projected American cruise is as widespread and as keenly felt as reports declare. If suspicions were as easily awakened in this part of the world, it might lie supposed that the American visit implied designs on the integrity of New Zealand or Australia. Actually, of course, the American visit will he as little suspect as was that which a Japanese training fleet made to this country some time ago in the course of n South Paeific cruise. Underlying the public but |

unofficial protests made in Japan against the American cruise, there appears to he a suggestion that a battle fleet should l>o employed, and even exercised only in the near neighbourhood of the country to which it belongs. There is not the slightest doubt, however, that at the stage to which international relationships have meantime been carried, the Japanese Government and responsible Japanese opinion would unhesitatingly reject any such conception of the permissible use of naval force. The seas of the world, with the exception of territorial waters, are open to all, and Japan no doubt would l>o the first to oppose any limitation of the freedom of action thus conferred on naval Powers.