TOJO RESTATES RESOLUTION

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 50, 22 November 1941, Page 10

TOJO RESTATES RESOLUTION

Policies Of Japan

TALKS CONTINUE IN AMERICA (By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright.) LONDON, November 21. Japan was determined to push on with her national policies, declared the Japanese Prime Minister, General 'Tojo, at the close of the.fiveday session of the Diet today. "Backed up by the enthusiastic determination of the people, the Government is planning to redouble its efforts to cope with the unprecedented crisis,” he said.

Admiral Nomura, the Japanese Ambassador to Washington, again accompanied Mr. Kurusu at his further meeting with the American Secretary of State, Mr. Hull, yesterday. A Washington message says it is presumed that the Japanese envoys have received the fresh instructions they have been awaiting from Tokio since their conversations earlier this week with President Roosevelt and Mr. Hull. The Japanese Foreign Minister, Mr. Togo, has reported to the Emperor on the progress of the Washington talks. Effect of Economic Moves. The Finance Minister, Mr. Kaya, announced that Japanese assets frozen by Britain, the United States, and the Netherlands amounted to about £53,000,000. The frozen assets of those countries in Japan did not exceed £23,500,000. . _ The talks between the United States and Japan are taking place witli the full backing of the British Government. This was made clear by the Foreign Secretary, Mr. Eden, yesterday. x , The Foreign Secretary pointed out that the Washington conversations concerned the whole future of . the Pacific, including areas where British interests are direct and important. He declared that the British Government welcomed the talks, and added: “We have complete confidence in the United States spokesmen; so much confidence, indeed, that we have never asked, and shall not ask to be represented in these conversations. We trust our friends.” Mr. Eden, who was the guest of honour at a Thanksgiving Day luncheon of the American Society in London, recalled United States aid for Britain at a critical period of the war, and said that today Britain had yet another cause for thanksgiving, with American and British tanks and planes giving battle side by side in the Libyan Desert, while the United States navy was protecting the Atlantic lifeline and standing guard in the Pacific. Australians at Singapore. Further Australian reinforcements have arrived in Singapore. The new contingent consists of army technicians, reinforcements for units of the line, Air Force personnel, and a group of nurses. Their number is officially described as substantial. As soon as they arrived they were told of the British offensive in the Middle East, and greeted the news with tremendous enthusiasm.

FIGHTING SPIRIT IN JAPAN

Call To Promote It LONDON; November 20. Addressing a committee of the Japanese Lower House, the Chief of Military Affairs, Major-General Sato, expressed the opinion that Japan’s next war, if it occurred, would be aimed at 'breaking the anti-Japanese encirclement and would be on an unprecedently large scale. Because of this it was urgently necessary for the Japanese people to promote their fight ing spirit. Major-General Sato warned members that it would be impossible completely to shut out enemy planes, which would undoubtedly bomb the Japanese wooden houses in an effort to break Ihe people’s morale. For this reason Japan should maintain the greatest composure irrespective of eventualities.

The Prime Minister, General Tojo, explained to a committee of the Upper House that reserve funds were being kept at a large amount because Japan was confronted with an unprecedented crisis. War-Weary Japanese Troops. The Chinese army spokesman in Chungking asserted that intelligence reports disclosed growing disaffection among Japanese troops in China and predicted that a general uprising is certain if the war continues. The first known Japanese anti-war organization had been formed at Suhsien, in Anhwei Province. The leader of the organization, Mr. Nishibashi, had been arrested.

The spokesman said the recent revision of the conscription regulations in Japan resulted in the conscription of 400,000 Japanese and 260,000 Koreans into the army. He added that the latest reports indicated that at least 100,000 Japanese troops were in Southern Indo-China, many of them along the Thailand border. The Chungking army spokesman also accused Japan of making germ warfare. He said that on November 4 Japanese planes dropped foodstuffs and clothing at Chang-teh, in the northern Huan Province. Many persons who ate the food or used the clothes dropped later developed symptoms of bubonic plague and died. The Chinese Government is investigating. Demand on Indo-China Denied. The Government of French IndoChina officially denied reports from Shanghai that Japan had demanded facilities for 50,000 more troops in Indo-China. Such a demand would exceed the total in the Franco-Japan-ese agreement and hence it would have to be taken up between Vichy and Tokio, it was pointed out in Hanoi.

SOVIET DENIAL

Violation Of Manchukuo Frontier LONDON. November 21. The Soviet news agency, Tass, denies lhe Japanese reports that a Russian unit had violated Manchukuo tcrrit ory.