The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun. MONDAY, JULY 1, 1940. JAPANS ASPIRATIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 154, 1 July 1940, Page 6

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun.

MONDAY, JULY 1, 1940. JAPANS ASPIRATIONS.

For the caute that lacks ase'etanoe, For the wrong that peed* resistance, For the future in the distance. And the pood that we can do.

The Foreign Minister of Japan, Mr. Arita, told the Imperial Diet on February 1 that the war, regardless of how it might end, would bring about drastic changes in the general situation of Europe, and "consequently its effects on the settlement of the China affair and the stabilisation of East Asia are likely to be far-reaching. The Government ... is determined to take appropriate steps to meet any changes in the situation." At that time the Nazi blitzkrieg had not begun. Hc'lland had not been overrun, France had not ceased to fight, nor was the United Kingdom immediately and directly threatened with attack. The Japanese could hardly have hoped for so startling a transformation of the European scene. But it has happened, and the Japanese have taken, and arc taking, what seem to them "appropriate steps" to meet the new situation. What is clear to them is that, even though the ascendancy of Nazi Germany may be temporary, Europe's prestige in Asia has been weakened, and to Japan's advantage. Hence Mr. Arita, in the speech reported to-day, speaks a little more strongly and a trifle more precisely than he spoke five months ago concerning Japan's aspirations and intentions. He spoke again of the "stabilisation" of East Asia, and the construction of a "new order" there, but this time he added that "the South Seas" were in the region to be stabilised.

The purpose of Mr. Arita's speech seems to be to stake Japan's claim to those regions the future of which, in consequence of the developments of the war to date, is now obviously in doubt. One such region is French Indo-China, another is the Netherlands East Indies. No one can say at the moment what the future of these rich territories is to be. What Japan is saying is that her claim to them is superior to any other. Whether and when she will move to establish her claim remains doubtful, just as doubtful as the meaning given in Japan to the expression "the South Seas." But Australians and New Zealanders should be fully aware of the fact that, if Britain were defeated, they, too, might rank in the eyes of Japan as territories capable of being brought under the influence of a "stabilising force." That force would not necessarily be exercised in attempted conquest, but in insistent invitations to the Dominions to direct the main body of their trade towards Japan instead of towards the United Kingdom. For reasons of selfinterest, as for so many other reasons, the implications of Mr. Arita's speech should be a stimulus to the resolve of Australia and New Zealand to do all that lies in their power to ensure that Britain will not be defeated, end at the same time strengthen their own defences. In an increasing degree those defences are such only as we can make for ourselves.