JAPANESE TACTICS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 June 1940, Page 5

JAPANESE TACTICS

INCREASING PRESSURE ON ALLIES EXTREMISTS TAKING CHARGE FALL OF YONAI CABINET EXPECTED. WAR MINISTER'S DECLARATION. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. NEW YORK, June 26. The Shanghai correspondent of the “Xew York Times” says that the early fall of Admiral Yonai’s Cabinet in Tokio is expected, after which extremists are likely to succeed. Signs of the trend in Japanese polciy are seen in a statement today by the Minister of War, General Hata, that any third Power “who fails to understand Japan's contentions and who instead thwarts the execution of Japan’s national policies must be treated drastically.” Japan is playing an opportunist game and is placing pressure on Britain and France. The pressure against Britain is expected to increase if Hitler's blitzkrieg promises success. A question that is at the moment causing disquiet among Americans in the Far East is whether Japan will keep her hands off Australia and New Zealand in case Britain is defeated and whether the United States would permit a Japanese intrusion into those lands, the correspondent says. The thinly-disguised Japanese intention of eventually occupying French Indo-China is greatly increasing the apprehensions, and a westward movement of the United States fleet is seen as the only possible deterrent. The present Japanese pressure to cut off the war supplies proceeding toward Chungking put a new face on the desperation of Marshal Chiang Kai-Shek’s cause, and is resulting in increased desertions from the Chungking Government. Several generals from the Hupeh fronts have arrived in Nanking and are bargaining with the pro-Ja-panese leader Wang Ching-wei, and six Chinese pilots have landed at Ichang, inside the Japanese lines, seeking to join the Nanking administration. The Nanning correspondent of the Domei (Japanese) News Agency says that the Japanese forces approaching the border of Indo-China continued their advance toward Ning-Ming, 20 miles south-east of Lungchow, which other Japanese units are approaching in spite of stiff Chinese resistance. Japanese forces .are also progressing toward Ming-King. Military circles expected the occupation of Ning-Ming and Ming-King today, resulting in the Japanese controlling key points on the highway from Nanning to Pingsiang. HONG KONG BLOCKADE SAID TO BE CONFIRMED. HONG KONG, June 27. The authorities have confirmed that Japan will establish a blockade on July 3' to prevent goods from reaching China. An earlier message from Hong Kong said it was authoritatively stated that no additional Japanese warships so far had appeared in South China waters and there were no indications of a blockade of Haiphong, the port of French Indo-China. This was in reply to a report by the Hong Kong newspaper "China Mail” that Japanese warships had arrived off Haiphong and established a blockading screen, presumably to search ships using the port WAR SUPPLIES DISCOVERED BY JAPANESE EN ROUTE. TOKIO, June 27. Rear-Admiral Kanazawa declined to disclose the strength of the Japanese warships sent to French Indo-China. He said that Japanese planes had just discover a large quantity of war supplies en route from Indo-China. The newspaper “Asahi Shimbun ’ said that the Foreign Office will issue a statement on Friday or Saturday declaring “East Asiatic autonomy,” which would not tolerate interference by third Powers in the East Asiatic situation. FRANCE YIELDS ARRESTS AND SEARCHES IN CONCESSION. (Received This Day, 9 a.m.) SHANGHAI, June 27. Yielding to Japanese demands, France has agreed to permit the Japanese Army to extradite anti-Japan-ese arrested in the French concession, also to participate in military searches for elements suspected of being antiJapanese. ENVOY TO HITLER SUGGESTED CONSPIRACY AGAINST ORIENTAL TERRITORY OF ALLIES. (Received This Day, 9 a.m.) NEW YORK. June 27. _ The Associated Press of Americas Tokio correspondent says it is officially announced that Japan is sending Mr Naotake Sato to Germany, to explain personally to Herr Hitler Japan s views regarding the Oriental possessions of Britain, France and the Netherlands. It is understood that Mr Sato has reached a “complete understanding” with Signor Mussolini. Informed circles reiterate the possibility of a Japanese protectorate over French Indo-China and the Netherlands East Asian possessions after discussions with Italy and Germany.