PREPARED TO ACT APPROPRIATELY

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 118, 12 February 1940, Page 10

PREPARED TO ACT APPROPRIATELY

Meeting U.S. Pressure

JAPANESE PREMIER’S STATEMENT

Reported French Threat Against Bombings

By Telegraph.—Press Assn.— Copyright. (Received February 11, 7.5 p.tti.)

NEW YORK, February 10.

The Tokio correspondent of the United Press states that during a heated Parliamentary session the Prime Minister, Admiral Yonai, answering questions on Japans foreign policy, said: “Japan is fully prepared to act appropriately in the event of the United States continuing her oppression.” He refused to elaborate on the statement, which followed a denunciation by Mr. Yoshiharu utanis of Mr. Arita’s (Foreign Minister) “routine diplomacy with the United States, and also with Britain over the Asama Maru incident.

It is understood in Shanghai the French authorities bluntly told Japanese army representatives that if bombing raids on the Indo-China railway continue they will recommend that all French ports in the Far East, in Africa and in the Mediterranean be closed to Japanese shipping. In Tokio Mr. Arita, answering a suggestion by members of tbo Diet that action should be taken to allay the suspicions of the Netherlands East Indies of Japan, said: “It is necessary to tighten Japan’s economic relations with various countries in the South Seas and simultaneously to emphasize our lack of territorial ambitions. We desire only to exploit natural resources in the South Seas.” Mr. Arita also-said: “Though German enthusiasm for the Anti-Comin-tern Pact may have waned, we cannot say the pact has ceased to exist. We believe its fundamental spirit is unchanged.” LOSSES IN WAR Estimate Of Japanese Casualties CHUNGKING, February 9. The Chinese Army spokesman stated that the Chinese had evaded an attempt at encirclement and were now counter-attacking against the flanks of a Japanese force of 75,000. He said it was estimated that Japanese casualties in the war so far totalled 302,000 killed and 1,087.000 wounded.

2600TH ANNIVERSARY Pope’s Message To Japan (Received February 11, 7.5 p.in.) VATICAN CITY, February 10. The Pope, telegraphing Emperor Hirohita of Japan on the occasion of the 2600th anniversary of the foundation of the Japanese Empire, said, “We ask God may you cease hostilities. May the Japanese and their sovereigns attain greater glory and happy years through Divine aid.”