Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1911. THE FAR EASTERN SITUATION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 62, Issue 5, 17 October 1941, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1911. THE FAR EASTERN SITUATION.

In view of the fact that the proposed Japanese air service to Portuguese Timor can hold no economic advantage, there is ground for suspecting that the agreement with Portugal is connected with the southward thrust that has so long been the aim of Japan. The concern that is felt over the development arises from the fact that Timor lies on the dividing line between the Netherlands East Indies and Australia, thus the possession of a well-equipped air base would be of value in the event of any hostile move against either country. Japan’s policy in recent years and her present attitude toward Britain and the United States are responsible for the creation of distrust. Her statesmen and press alike continually accuse the Democracies of acting on designs for encirclement. From timfe to time the extremists utter the warning that Japan cannot remain indifferent to AngloAmerican “threats.’.’ Exactly what form have these threats taken? The United States warned Japan more than a year ago that she could not countenance any alteration to the status quo in the Far East other thafi by peaceful means. From that time onward she has taken steps to defend, if necessary, established American interests in the Philippines. American aid has been extended to China, while parallel action between Washington and London has been developed as an integral part of United States policy in the Far East. Britain has similarly rejected the Japanese assumption that a coprosperity sphere in East Asia can be fashioned by the force of Japanese arms. She has built up her own defences in Malaya and has co-operated with'the United States in imposing a form of financial and economic sanctions against Japan. But between the two great Democracies there exists no open military agreement; even the talk about the sharing of Pacific and Far East naval bases is largely speculative. Indeed, there has been complaint, not without cause, 'that the passive nature of the Anglo-American understanding is a source of weakness rather than of strength in dealings with Japan. From Batavia have come complaints that the defence of the Dutch East Indies is not directly covered by a British guarantee. The recent conferences between the British and American commanders in the Far East were necessitated because Japan has shown clearly that her aspirations are bounded only by the realisation of the strength of the Democracies. During the last two years political power in Japan has fluctuated between the moderates and the extremists in accordance with the trend of military events in Europe. A return to power of the extremists might threaten war at any moment. The conferences thus assume considerable importance and, if the military situation in Russia tempts Japan to intervene, may prove of far greater value than the diplomatic exchanges between Tokio and Washington.