JAPAN'S FUTURE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 45, 23 February 1937, Page 11

JAPAN'S FUTURE.

FIGHT OVER FASCISM.

AIMS OF THE ARMY.

CONCERN THROUGHOUT WORLD. (By FRANK H. HEDGES.) (No. 3.) TOKYO, December. The wave of panic that swept over Premier Hirota and other members of the Japanese Government—even over most of the members of the Privy Council—has now subsided and they have returned to sanity and a balanced viewpoint, a normal and realistic outlook on the world and on Japan's position therein. That panic, apparently due to fear that Soviet Russia was about to strike an armed blow at Japan through Chinese channels, ha 3 cost the empire dearly. i Because of it the Tokyo Government concluded an ideological pact with Fascist Germany aimed at combatting Comniuniem. Since such an agreement seems scarcely worth the trouble of signing and la so obviouely unnecessary to secure the end desired, it aroused suspicions that there must be also a eecret German-Japanese military alliance against Soviet Russia. In addition there developed the corollary suspicion that Japan had entered the Fascist bloc of nations. The price that Japan ie being called upon to pay from the internal political standpoint ie as great or greater, although it givee promise of ultimately destroying the dominant power of the militarists and setting Japan once more among the normal nations. This latter struggle ie now definitely under way, and on its outcome much depends.

Fascism or Democracy? If Japan w to go Faeerst, then a regrouping of the nations of the world must take place. If Japan is to eechew Fascism and military dominance, then the bloc of genuinely democratic Powers will be materially strengthened. Leading membere of all parties are ! planning to attack the Government because of the gigantic Budget, with its dieproportionately large military and naval appropriations and the accompanying tax revision and bond iesnes entailed. They will attack the Government because of its trend toward State Socialism, particularly in the seminationalisation of the electric power industry. They plan still other attacks on the German agreement, on the failure of the China and Riwwia policies and on the agitation for the reform of the Parliamentary ayetem sought by the militarists, which, if put into effect, would end democratic institutions in Japan. The Minister of War, Count Hisaiehi Terauchi, wae plainly on the defensive during interpellations in the committee meeting charged with considering plane for Parliamentary reform. The army was accused of seeking to establish a military dictatorship and to turn Japan into a Fascist ramp. This Count Terauchi denied, but it remains a fact that the policies the army is seeking to implement are Fascist in nature. " "The aimy, would era#ficulate the Diet. would make It impossible for, a party man to serve aa Premier, would place all financial institutions under the dictatorial control of the Minister of Finance, would create both a eort of *uper-Government of semi-.permanent officials to determine national policies and an economic general etaff to control all finance and industry. It look* with fatour on creation of a new political portv of the extreme Rightists which would be to it what the Communist party is to the Moscow Government, the Nazi party to Hitler.

Liberal Forces Arou&ed. It is this unmistakable trend toward Fascism that has aroused the Liberals, the believers in party government and the capitalists. They are already in action, and most of the Government Ministers are with them. The resignation of Shigeru Yoehida as Director of the Cabinet Inquiry Bureau has been demanded and accepted. Mr. Yoshida is one of the younger bureaucrats, is an out-and-out Fascist, and think* as one with the more- extreme militarists. In the pogt he has juet been forced to quit he was a real power, eince most of the data appearing before the Cabinet had first to pass through, his hands. The Hirota Government had scarcely taken office before Mr. Yoehida advanced the scheme a super-Government to be placed over the regular Cabinet. Thi* is now definitely rejected, and Iβ a dead issue unleae th* Fascists are powerful enough to revive it. Another Liberal victory must be chalked up'in the decision of the Finance Minister not to advance Wβ scheme for creation of an economic general staff] which would virtually control all finance] and industry. Finance and* industry have raised such an effective protest to this plan that it has frightened the Finance Minister away from it. Oa the other hand, the extreme Rightiste are organising a political party com-' bining all Fascist elements. They are, as always, proclaiming their patriotism froin the housetops. They would continue with Japan's foreign policy ae the policy of the mailed fist. The Fascist-Liberal battle now in progress in Japan must be watched with tremendous interest throughout the world. The Hirota Government, faced with suspicion abroad, faced with a non-co-operativa policy on the part of both China and Ruesia, faced with serious criticism at home because of its blunders and failures, has regained its common sense and has cast in its lot with the Liberal* again. The odds are with these Liberals, but In Japan upsets are common, and only the events of the next few months will definitely prove whether Japan is to follow the path, of the Anglo-Saxon nations or th"at of Naxi Germany.— (N.A.N.A.)