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Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 July 1941, Page 5

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MANY JAPANESE SHIPS NOT ALLOWED TO USE PANAMA CANAL. POSSIBLE PREPARATIONS FOR WAR. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON. July 21. Evacuation of the Japanese colony from Johannesburg and orders to Japanese ships which have been unable to pass through the Panama Canal, to proceed home immediately via Cape Horn are the latest developments in the Far East situation. The Johannesburg correspondent of the Dome! news agency is the authority for a statement that the Japanese colony is preparing to evacuate on July 26.

According to Japanese shipping circles at least ten Japanese steamers en route to Japan from American Atlantic ports have been ordered to abandon their efforts to obtain permission to pass through the Panama Canal and proceed to Japan by Cape Horn. The canal authorities refused a passage for the Japanese ships on the ground that the canal was undergoing repairs. American vessels, however, were allowed to make the passage, leading to the belief that military works are under way. The “China Daily News,” Chungking, simultaneously says it is very clear that from now on the Japanese Government is in a stage of preparing for war. Lyons radio, quoting a Bangkok source, says Britain has reached an agreement with China to extend the Burma Road. There is a general opinion in Saigon that Japan intends to attack Vladivostock, invade the Yunan Province of China and cut off the Burma Road. MARKED CHANGE SEEN BY JAPANESE PAPER. ARTICLE HEAVILY CENSORED. (Received This Day, 10.5 a.m.) TOKIO. July 21. The “Hochi Shimbun.” in a heavily censored editorial, said: “Japan should face her impending difficulties by relying on her own power, regardless of agreements with the Axis and Russia. Japanese diplomacy has been based on those agreements, but it is an undeniable fact that because of the outbreak of the German-Russian war there has been a marked change in Japan’s relations to the major conditions in East Asia diplomacy.” The “Hochi Shimbun” then said that the next seven lines had been censored. The “Nichi Nichi Shimbun” warned Indo-China to reconsider its anti-Jap-anese action and reject British-Ameri-can manoeuvres, aimed at blocking Japan’s peaceful expansion southward. The “Nichi Nichi Shimbun” said 150 pro-Japanese had been recently executed in Indo-China.