JAPANESE HOPES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 February 1941, Page 5

JAPANESE HOPES

AUSTRALIAN INCLUDED IN NEW ORDER BUT NOT NEW ZEALAND. — ACCORDING TO ADMIRAL SUETSUGU | ißy Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright l NEW YORK. February 2. "Australia am! India, hut no! New Zealand. will he in ■ the second phase of Japan's I now order.’' said Admiral Suefsiign i retired i. a member of the Cabinet Advisov i (’mineil. in an interview wit h the Tokio correspondent of the ".New York Times." The first phase, said Admiral Suetsugu, would include China, the Malayan islands, and the Dutch East Indies. Singapore was the key to the situation. It was regarded as a serious obstacle to Japanese hegemony in the Soutn Seas. Admiral Suetsugu added that Singapore. Hawaii, and Australia constituted points vital to the strategy' of an enemyattacking Japan. The Singapore correspondent of the ■ London "Sunday Express" says that i Burma and India will be in danger iif Japan enters the war. The terri- ' tory which promises the most immei diate rewards for Japanese financiers , is the vulnerable Dutch East Indies. I There is an obvious threat to Malaya but the Singapore base will justify the millions spent on it. Japan is facing ruin. She has enormous debts, while the army is making increasing inroads on the national reserves of wealth. Only a sudden turn > of the wheel, can bring fortune to the : Japanese, and, like Hitler, they may be preparing to gamble all on one desper- i ate coup.

FRENCH AIISSION

SAID TO BE VISITING SINGAPORE. RESISTANCE TO JAPANESE AGGRESSION. CHUNGKING, February 2. According to Chinese sources in Hong Kong, French Indo-China has sent emissaries to Singapore to discuss British co-operation to prevent a Japanese seizure of south Indo-China. It is said that following the truce with Thailand, French j troops have started to concentrate in Cochin China to strengthen the defence of Saigon. It is officially stated in Bangkok ! (Thailand) that a peace mission is goi ing to Tokio aboard a Japanese plane. ! It is expected an agreement with Indo- ; China will be reached within a fort- ■ night. MORE CLASHES REPORTED IN NEUTRAL ZONE. LONDON, February 3. Reuter's Bangkok correspondent reports a French violation of the truce on the Indo-China border today, when Thailand delegates at Bangkok were preparing to fly to the peace conference at Tokio. Three clashes occurred in the Sisophon region on the eastern front. A French patrol violated the neutral zone. One was shot dead, one escaped and four wore taken prisoner. .An hour later a whole regiment and two tanks tried to encroach on the same zone but were repulsed. A third attempt was similarly frustrated. The Japanese, the 8.8. C. states, are reported to be demanding the use of the principal naval base in French! Indo-China. ;