HOLLAND WILL NOT TAKE FOREIGN HELP.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 93, 19 April 1940, Page 8

HOLLAND WILL NOT TAKE FOREIGN HELP.

TOKYO INFORMED

Britain And U.S.A. Keep In

Touch.

JAPAN NAVY'S ATTITUDE.

United Pr?ss Association.— Copyright. (Received noon.) LONDON. April 18. It is announced that the Netherlands Government has informed Japan that Holland would never accept a foreign offer of protection for the East Indies, says a message from The Hague. The Netherlands Minister to Japan lias failed upon the .Japanese Foreign Minister and informed him that the Xetherlands had not asked, and would not ask any country to protect the Netherlands East Indies, and the Netherlands Government was determined to refuse any offer of help or intervention at all. The Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Mr. R. A. Butler, stated in the House of Commons, that so far as Viscount Halifax, Foreign Secretary, was aware Japan had not claimed sole responsibility for the maintenance of peace in the Dutch Indies waters. The Japanese Foreign Minister had stated that Japan was deeply concerned with developments which might affect the status quo of t'.ie Dutch Indies. Britain holds similar views. He added that Britain was keeping the United States informed of all matters of common interest in the ' Far East. The British Press Tokyo correspondent said the Foreign Affairs spokesman, Mr. iSiima. said: "Our expression of view regarding the Indies is spontaneous and not aimed at any specific nation. It is

actuated only by recent developments in Europe. Japan hopes to prevent the spread of the European war to the Pacific, and the step was taken in accordance with this wish." . Declaration Amplified. A Tokyo message states that amplifying the declaration made by the Japanese Foreign Minister, Mr. Arita, on Monday, in which he said that should extension of the war to the Netherlands affect the status quo in the Dutch East Indies, it would interfere with Japan's economic relations- with the Indies and arouse an undesirable situation regarding the peace and stability of East Asia, the vice-spokesman of the Japanese Navy, Commander Kanoe, said to-day:—

"Japan's policy is based on noninvolvement in the European war, and the Navy, is greatly concerned, as any change in the situation in the Dutch East Indies would mean the extension of the war to that part of the world, to ■which the Navy very strongly objects." Comparison With Greenland. Directing attention to the interest of the United States in Greenland, Commander Kanoe said it was quite natural that Japan should 'be similarly concerned in the East Indies situation. Moreover, Japan's vital interests in the Dutch East Indies were incomparably greater than America's interests in Greenland.

The speaker reiterated that Japan's interests in the South Sea region, including the Dutch East Indies, were economic, and she had no territorial designs. . "It is impossible to tell what may happen next nor what sudden development may confront Japan," said Commander Kanoe, "and it is therefore deemed advisable to announce her attitude in advance." The Japanese Admiralty spokesman said the, development of the natural resources of the East Indies must be made by all means, but Japan had no territorial designs there.