REPORTED TO BE AGREED ON IN PRINCIPLE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 September 1940, Page 6

REPORTED TO BE AGREED ON IN PRINCIPLE

Between Germany and Japan IN EVENT OF ANGLO-AMERICAN FRONT BEING FORMED . INITIATIVE SAID TO HAVE BEEN TAKEN BY GERMANY (By Telegraph.—Press Association.— Copyright.) MONTREAL, September 24. Authoritative reports from Tokio which reached Shanghai says that Japan and Germany have agreed in principle to a defensive alliance, to become effective in the event of BritishAmerican collaboration such as in the Singapore naval base, in which case Japan would abandon her non-involvement policy. It is further stated that Hitler’s personal representative, Hen Stahmer, has negotiated a provisional Japanese-German defensive pact, which envisages a world-wide diversion of American attention, specially in South America and the Far East. Authoritative sources in Tokio declare that the Imperial Japanese Conference on September 19 approved an alliance with Germany in principle; however, the announcement would be delayed pending formal ratification by the Privy Council. These sources state that it is understood that the move does not envisage an immediate abandonment by Japan of her noninvolvement policy, but it sets a policy in the event of an AngloAmerican front being formed. It is further stated that the alliance includes German assurances of her good offices toward Russia, amounting to a RussoJapanese non-aggression pact, thereby freeing Japan to move southward. It is understood that the alliance is Germany’s proposition and is designed to avert full United States support to Britain. Observers interpret it as an indication that Berlin has decided that a blitzkrieg against Britain may not succeed, and therefore that the alliance represents preparation for a prolonged war. Details of the alliance regarding South America are vague and it is believed they are left mainly to Germany’s discretion as a means of further diverting the United States’ attention, presumably by the creation of political disturbances.

Report Not Confirmed

(Received This Day, 11 a.m.) LONDON, September 25. It is officially stated that the report of a German-Japanese defensive alliance is unconfirmed.