SOVIET & JAPAN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 July 1938, Page 5

SOVIET & JAPAN

THE POSSIET BAY DISPUTE OCCUPATION BY RUSSIA RESENTED. TALK OF DEMONSTRATION & ASSAULT. By Telegraph—Press Association. Copyright. LONDON, July 22. The Tokio correspondent of the British United Press says that it is learned on reliable authority that Japan is planning a demonstration in force at Changkufeng, the military hill in Possiet Bay which has been the subject of a Japanese protest to Russia because of its occupation by Soviet troops, aiming to induce the Soviet force there, which .consists of 300 infantry and artillery, to withdraw. If they refuse, the commander is expected to order an assault, in which it is anticipated that the Japanese superiority of numbers will succeed. The newspapers report that Soviet planes are reconnoitring the frontier. Meanwhile a message from Moscow states that M. Shigemitsu, Japanese Ambassador in Russia, is reported to have rejected the Soviet reply to the Japanese protest concerning the occupation. M. Litvinov, Soviet Foreign Minister, declared that the border had not been violated.. He added that Russia would not yield to threats and made a counter-protest that the Japanese had themselves trespassed on Soviet territory.

Although the Japanese demand for an immediate withdrawal sounds like an ultimatum, it must be remembered that Moscow and Tokio frequently use strong language. Soviet opinion does not incline to the belief that Japan will carry out the threat of ordering an assault, pointing out that Japan is too deeply engaged in China to precipitate war with the Soviet Union.

A message from Tokio states that it is generally believed there that the dispute will blow over as far as Japan is concerned unless the Soviet is unusually obdurate. The Japanese Foreign Minister, General Ugaki, discussed the matter with the Emperor yesterday, and the Minister of War, Lieutenant-General Itagaki, conferred with the Prime Minister, Prince Konoye. Members of the Cabinet are most active concerning the situation. JAPANESE DENIAL. NO THREAT OF FORGE MADE. TOKIO, July 22. The Foreign Office spokesman denied today that M. Shigemitsu, Japanese Ambassador ’ in Moscow, threatened force when he rejected the Soviet’s reply to the Japanese protest concerning the Russian troops’ occupation of Possiet Bay. z He admitted, however, that M. Litvinov, Soviet/Foreign Minister, might have received that impression .and added that Japan insisted on the withdrawal of the Russian troops and the re-establishment of the status quo, after which the boundary question could be taken up. He declined to reveal whether the next steps would be diplomatic, although it is understood that the Cabinet has considered that course. The Domei news agency reports that five Russian torpedo-boats entered Possiet Bay.