“SOMETHING GREAT”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 June 1941, Page 5

“SOMETHING GREAT”

WILL HAPPEN SHORTLY JAPANESE ENVOY’S PREDICTION i — 1 INCITEMENT IN BERLIN. PRINCE KONOYE ON “ACUTE SITUATION.” (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) NEW YORK, June 16. “In a short time something great will happen.” This, according to the Berlin correspondent of the “Niehl Nichi Shimbun,” was said in an interview by Mr Yamashita, head of the Japanese mission to the Axis. Mr Yamashita declined to indicate what he meant, but according to the Tokio correspondent of the “New York! Times.” the date of the interview. June 12. may be significant. Mr Yamashita, hoxvever, revealed that Hitler told him Japan's aim should be to mobilise her full force and work harder in order to achieve the new order in the Far East. Hitler also hinted that his will would contain instructions to the German people to bind themselves to the Nippon spirit. A Tokio message says the Government and the Imperial High Command held an extraordinary liaison conference at which they discussed urgent problems xvhich were not disclosed. Mr Nobumasa Suetsugo asserted that once the United States entered the war Japan would do likewise in order to keep faith and honour her account with the Tripartite Pact. Mr Suetsugo added: “Japan cannot remain indifferent to developments in the South Seas regions because they constitute a life and death problem in Greater East Asia.” Mr Suetsugo made the statement in his capacity as chairman of the “Central Co-operative Council” of the Gov-ernment-sponsored “Imperial Rule Assistance Association." Prince Konoye, addressing the council in his capacity as president of the association, said: “Because the international situation surrounding Japan is most acute and the European war is increasing in scope it is impossible to predict when the entire xvorld might be plunged into war.”