JAPANESE AIMS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 January 1941, Page 5

JAPANESE AIMS

DECLARED BY PREMIER & OTHERS PEOPLE URGED TO RESIST PRESSURE. HARD ROAD TOWARDS FINAL GOAL. <By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) TOKIO. December 31. The Prime Minister. Prince Konoye. and members of the Government in New A ear statements issued through the Domei news agency, reiterated •Japan’s loyalty to the Axis and her determination to proceed vigorously with the “greater East Asin" programme.

Some of the statements, while not referring directly to President Roosevelt’s speech, drew attention to the United States' economic pressure, and urged the people to unite in preparation to withstand greater American pressure.

The statements generally emphasised first, that Japan is committed to the creation of a greater East Asia bloc of prosperity composed of China. Japan and Manchukuo, to which the United States and Britain are opposed; secondly, that Japan, as a ‘‘have not" nation, supports the Italian-Ger-man programme for new world order; and thirdly, that Japan's great need is her internal unity. References to Russia were notably missing, indicating that the Government has not yet abandoned hope of an agreement. Prince Konoye said that Japan was firmly determined to break the British and American conception of maintenance of the status quo in eastern Asia. “It must be realised that the road toward our final goal is hard, and that international relations will bo further strained in 1941." he said. “Everlasting peace and prosperity can be attained only by forcing large-scale changes. Italy and Germany have undertaken ihe reorganisation of Europe and Japan the reorganisation of eastern Asia." DUTCH NEW GUINEA JAPANESE ASPIRATIONS. CONCERN FOR “POOR NATIVES." (Received This Day, 9.0 a.m.) TOK.IO. January 1. The "Nichi Nichi Shimbun," in a series of articles on Japanese commercial enterprises in Dutch New Guinea, says: —“Holland's claim to New Guinea is not only vague and doubtful, but the Administration proves aloofness by making it a sub-State of a sub-State, in contrast to .Australian New Guinea, which an Administrator directs personally. Holland has too much land, and even the development of Sumatra is just beginning, but New Guinea would be easy for Japan to develop because Palao is only 50 nautical miles away, and both Japan and Holland would mutually profit by such an arrangement. Holland should be willing to turn the task of development over to Japan instead of squeezing the poor natives."