TALK IN TOKIO

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 August 1941, Page 5

TALK IN TOKIO

DENIAL OF AGGRESSIVE INTENTIONS REPLY TO GREAT BRITAIN & AMERICA. POSITION OF THAILAND. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) NEW YORK. August 8. Japanese official quarters yesterday idisclaimed any aggressive intentions against Thailand or any defence agreement similar to that with French Indo-China, says the Tokio correspondent of the “New York Times.” They declared that the statements by the British Foreign Secretary, Mr Eden, and the American Secretary of State, Mr Cordell Hull, regarding a dangerous situation were based on unwarrantable facts. They also blamed Britain for “creating a new crisis in the Far East analogous to that of February, when all allegations against Japan were proved to be untrue.” Officials emphasised that the joint defence of Indo-China had been arranged by mutual agreement with Vichy and was affected by the peculiar circumstances of the European war and division among the French themselves. They pointed out that Thailand was an independent country with which Japan was maintaining peaceful and friendly relations, but that if the situation in 'south-eastern Asia should be changed by further manoeuvres by outside Powers Japan might be forced to review her present stand.