"Taranaki Central Press" FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 1937. JAPANESE POLITICAL CRISIS.

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 346, 29 January 1937, Page 4

"Taranaki Central Press" FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 1937. JAPANESE POLITICAL CRISIS.

An almost unprecedented crisis has appeared in Japanese politics. The last Cabinet under Mr. Hirota was forced to resign after the Diet had been suspended at the order of the Emperor, and now General Ugaki, who was asked to form a Government., cannot get a War Minister because of opposition from the Army. The danger in Japan is, from the point of view of the rest of the world, or at least that part of it interested in the Orient, that a military dictatorship might arise from the present condition of affairs. If such does happep, it may have very serious consequences for the peace of the world. Japan’s position in world politics 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 everincreasing pressure of the Army and Navy for bigger armament budgets. But the military 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 Pacific 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 for midable national and military unit than ever before in her history. For the first time in a generation Japan finds herseH alone in the Pacific. Her only ally—if ally she can be called at the moment is Germany. And in an alignment of world Powers 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 danger 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 Hoki Hirota and Foreign Minister Harchiro 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 noncommittal and equivocal. Besides the dominant Privy Council, the two major political parties in Japan accused Mr. Arita of diplomatic blunders. Leaders of the Minseito Party had determined to attack the Government on its foreign relations. Ihs Minseito Party condemned tne Hirota regime because of: ( I ) Soviet Rusia 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; (a) universal suspicion aro used abroad.