THAILAND'S MOVE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 181, 2 August 1941, Page 8

THAILAND'S MOVE

LEANING TO JAPAN Britain And U.S. Efforts To Stop Aggression United Press Association. —Copyright. Rec. 2 p.m. LONrfON, Aug. 1. , The Japanese Foreign Office announced that Thailand has recognised Manchukuo, to be effective from to-day. The authorities interpreted this move as Thailand's decision to join Japan's Greater East Asia programme. - The Japanese Minister of Finance, Admiral Ogura, said Japan could not Tretreat an inch from her fundamental policy of constructing a "Greater East Asia." He warned the Japanese people to expect an increase in British and American pressure, but he emphasised that Japan's policy would be pursued without respite. The settlement of the Chinese War was vital—Japan owed that to the 100,000 of her soldiers who had died in battle. The Governor of Indo-China, Admiral Decoux, in an interview, said that Indo-China would continue, as far as possible, to maintain economic relations with Britain, America, .China and the Netherlands. IndoChina required from these countries 'supplies which at present were obtainable in insufficient quantities. Indo-China would do nothing likely to complicate the international situation in the Far East. The Franco-Japanese accord was Vichy's business, but Indo-China would loyally execute Vichy's agreement.