The Times MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 1937. Japan’s Political Crisis

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 20, 25 January 1937, Page 6

The Times MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 1937. Japan’s Political Crisis

If the Japanese, political crisis develops, as it threatens to do, into a military dictatorship, it may have very serious consequences for the peace of the world. Japan’s position in world polities is a very difficult one. Domestically she is embarrassed by the crushing weight of military expenditures, and this has led her statesmen to resist the ever-increasing pressure of the army and navy for bigger armament budgets. Dut the militaiy party realise the danger of standing still in armaments because of the growing strength of their potential enemies. Russia is building up a huge war machine on her Manchurian borders, America is steadily strengthening her Pacilic fighting forces, Britain is building the mightiest naval base east of Suez, and last, and by no means least, China is being welded into a more formidable national and military unit than ever before in her history, lor the first time in a generation Japan finds herself alone in the Pacific. Her only ally—if ally she can be called—at the moment is Germany. And in an alignment of world Power's in any great conflict she would have in the Pacific a possible combination against her of Russia, Britain and America, with a big Chinese revolt in her Asiatic provinces. The longer action is delayed the less chance Japan will have of realising her dream of Pacific domination. The forces against her are too powerful, too wealthy.

This is where the damage comes in. If her militarists desire to strike a blow for supremacy the sooner it is struck the better the chances of success. It is, therefore, not surprising to find that for some months past they have been clamouring for action. At the beginning of December the Japanese Privy Council warned Cabinet that it was displeased with the nation’s foreign policy. Premier Koki Ilirota and Foreign Minister Haehiro Arita were called before the plenary session of the Council and attacked “from every direction” for an hour and a-half. One councillor asked whether the Government was prepared to make a “grave decision,” which was interpreted as an intimation that the Cabinet might be forced to resign. The answer, observers said, was non-committal and equivocal. After a lengthy grilling by the Privy Council, Mr. Arita expressed apologetic regret for the state of Japan’s diplomacy in every nation mentioned by the councillors. Most of the councillors expressed dissatisfaction with Mr. Arita’s replies and advised the Government to exercise greater caution in future decisions affecting Japanese foreign policy. Mr. Arita acknowledged that there was no substantial reason for believing Russia would agree to extend Japanese fishing rights in Siberia before they expire December 31. Asked whether the Foreign Office had a definite policy with regard to China, Mr. Arita replied that he was trying to break the deadlock by diplomatic means only. The Foreign Minister attributed China’s intransigent attitude to a misunderstanding of the recent German-Japanese pact against Communism and of the situation in Suiyuan Province, Inner Mongolia. “Though the Japanese Government is concerned about Suiyuan,” he declared, “it. has nothing to do with the problem.” Mr. Arita said that Anglo-Japanese relations were not materially changed by the pact with Germany and that Shigeru Yoshida, Ambassador to Great Britain, had been instructed to improve them. He denied that any secret agreement had been reached with Italy and added future negotiations would deal exclusively with trade matters, no anti-Communist accord being contemplated. Besides the dominant Privy Council, the two major political parties in Japan accused Mr. Arita of diplomatic blunders. Leaders of the Mittseito Party had determined to attack the Government on its foreign relations. The Minseito Party has condemned the Hirota regime because of: (1) Soviet Russia’s refusal to sign a pact granting extended fishing rights to Japan ; (2) rupture of negotiations with the Nanking (Central) Government of China over Japanese policy in continental Asia; (3) universal suspicion aroused abroad. Now the blow has fallen and Japan is to have a militarist Prime Minister, according to the latest cable message. The scene of uncertainty and menace to peace may now shift from the Occident to the Orient.