VICHY AGREES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 March 1941, Page 5

VICHY AGREES

ACCORDING TO TOKIO REPORT SETTLEMENT OF THAILAND DISPUTE. EXTENSION OF ARMISTICE LIKELY. A message from Tokio, the 8.8. C. states, reports that while the Japanese are still awaiting a full reply from the Vichy Government about proposals for a settlement of the dispute between Indo-China and Thailand, the French Government is reported to have complied with the Japanese proposals to the satisfaction of all and only technical details now remain to be settled. Unconfirmed reports state that the armistice between Thailand and Indo-China may be extended once more.

MINOR REVISIONS MADE IN MEDIATION PLAN. TOKIO, March 5. Japan is reported to have asked Vichy to submit a reply to the mediation proposals in the Indo-China-Thai-land dispute by noon today. The Foreign Office spokesman, Mr Ishii, said that after receiving , the French reply the Japanese Government made minor revisions in the mediation plan. Consequently the French and Thai delegates had requested fresh instructions from their home Governments. Mr Ishii revealed that the British Ambassador, Sir Robert Craigie, visited the Vice-Foreign Minister, Mr Ohashi, in connection with the warning io Britain by the spokesman of the Japanese army in Formaso against cooperation with Chinese forces in Burma and categorically denied that Chungking troops had entered Burma.

JAPAN’S POLICY MR CHURCHILL RECEIVES AMBASSADOR. NO CHALLENGE TO BRITISH INTERESTS. LONDON, March 4. Mr Churchill received the Japanese Ambassador, Mr Shigemitsu, for the second time in a fortnight. Mr Shigemitsu sought the interview and it is understood he delivered Mr Matsuoka’s detailed reply to the British memorandum. The talk is believed to have been satisfactory from both British and Japanese viewpoints. Mr Shigemitsu emphasised that Japan’s policy did not challenge British interests, and that Japan did not wish the war to spread to the Far East.

URGENT MEETING CALLED BY PRINCE KONOYE. FRANCE’S FAILURE TO MEET DEADLINE. (Received This Day, 9.40 a.m.) TOKIO, March 5. Prince Konoye has summoned an urgent cabinet meeting for tomorrow because France has again failed to meet the Japanese deadline for acceptance of Japanese terms. MOVING SOUTH HUNDRED JAPANESE WARSHIPS. REPORTED OFF SOUTH CHINA COAST. SHANGHAI. March 5. The correspondent at Foochow of the “Shunpao” reports that 100 Japanese warships reached the Fukien (South China) coast on Monday and Tuesday. Some continued southward. He expressed the opinion that Japanese navy is starting a southward push. Other Chinese Press reports say that 13 Japanese warships were seen moving southward along the Chekiang coast on Monday, arriving near Chinchai in the morning and sailing again in the afternoon to the Chousan Islands.

TROOPS MASSING

JAPANESE AT HAINAN ISLAND. PREPARING SOUTHWARD PUSH. (Received This Day, 10.25 a.m.) LONDON, March 5. A Chungking radio message claims that 70,000 Japanese troops are massed on Hainan Island, besides heavy naval units in Hainan harbour. It is said that the Japanese are preparing Yulin harbour as a submarine base, and with the assistance of Italian and German technical advisers, are busy transforming Spratley, Paracels and Waichow Islands into naval and air bases, preparatory to a southward push.

GOING TO BERLIN GERMAN AMBASSADOR IN TOKIO. TO REPORT ON SITUATION. (Received This Day, 10.25 a.m.) NEW YORK, March 5. The Domei News Agency reports from Tokio that the German Ambassador, Herr Ott, is going to Berlin to report on the Far Eastern ,situation and to receive instructions regarding German policy in Japan.