JAPANESE MOVE TO RUSSIA

Southland Times, Issue 24244, 30 September 1940, Page 5

JAPANESE MOVE TO RUSSIA

DIRECT OVERTURES TO MOSCOW

ARMY’S WARNING TO UNITED STATES

(United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received September 29, 7.30 p.m.) / LONDON, September 27. It is authoritatively stated that the Japanese are anxious for a rapprochement with Russia, similar to the Rus-sian-German Pact, for which they are making overtures direct, also through Germany. However, it depends on Moscow’s attitude, which at present cannot be determined in Tokyo. In Shanghai the Japanese Army’s newspaper Tairiku Shimpu said that the alliance was an actual reply to America’s loan to Chungking and scrap embargo. Should any one of the three signatories be challenged the challenger will be dealt with by force. The newspaper adds that if the United States further aids China it will be considered a challenge and the alliance will become effective. The Japanese Foreign Minister, Mr Yosuke Matsuoka, and the ViceMinister, Mr Suma, both said that the alliance did not mean Japan’s early entrance into the European War. “Japan will not challenge any country,” said Mr Matsuoka. “Although we adhere to peaceful means as much as possible there might arise a circumstance where we must make important decisions.” “We are not going to participate in the European War this moment,” said Mr Suma. “This is a pact to end wars, not to start them.” “WAR CLOSE TO PACIFIC” The Japan Times says that one of the pact’s immediate effects will be that “any hostile action against Japan in the Pacific by the United States or any other Power will be met by joint hostile action by Japan, Italy and Germany. This might make America pause. The treaty might cause the American people to sit back and take stock of the State Department, which has so bungled international affairs that it has made an enemy of Japan, involved Britain in new difficulties, done no good to the United States and brought war perilously close to the Pacific Ocean.” The Japanese Foreign Office spokesman said: “We are not changing our policy toward!, the United States; we are not abandoning the hope of re-ad-justing relations with the United States.” The defiant threat launched by the extremist newspaper Kokumin Shimbun today in an outburst against Britain and America was caused by America’s loan to China and the embargo on scrap metal. The paper said

that if the British and Americans continue their unprovoked anti-Japanese stand they will get a telling blow. Under the heading “Fight for Supremacy in the Pacific,” the newspaper Miyako Shimbun says that IndoChina is only a minor’ angle in the i major struggle now developing between America and Japan, in which Britain is apparently participating. The comparatively Conservative Asahi Shimbun declares: “Now it seems inevitable that a clash will occur between Japan and the United States. We rather welcome the United States’ decision to act in a decisive manner instead of persecuting Japan by slow means.” Mr Cordell Hull, United States Secretary of State, said: “The new Axis alliance makes clear for all a relationship which long existed in fact. The United States had known for some time that an alliance was being negotiated. That fact was fully taken into account by the United States in the determination of its policies. The reported agreement does not substantially alter a situation which has existed for several years.” Most observers in Washington doubt if the pact will i:ifluence Britain or the United States. They also doubt if the pact will have any immediate physical results as the three Powers concerned in the alliance are fully occupied already. Because of the limited achievements which the pact could produce immediately some believe it was designed partly to bolster up the morale of the three countries where the quick victories anticipated have not materialized. Meanwhile many observers express the opinion that the ultimate and

most important result might be the encirclement of Russia leading to the Soviet seriously and promptly to consider closer association with Britain and the United States.

The Hochi Shimbun, Tokyo, attacking the American “spoiled child” attitude, advocated a Russo-Japanese nonaggression pact. It said that America was interfering throughout the world without legitimate reasons; therefore Japan must make its own counter arrangements.