JAPANESE AIM

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 151, 23 December 1938, Page 4

JAPANESE AIM

DOMINATION OF CHINA

ATTITUDE TO COLONIES

WARNING TO WEST

Japan has announced that what she sought in East Asia was the complete co-ordination—political, economic, cultural, and otherwise—of China and Manchukuo in the Japanese scheme of things, said a message from Tokio to the "New tfork Times" on November 3. At the same time she served notice that she expected other Powers to "adapt their attitude to the new conditions prevailing ill East Asia." This statement, made public earlier, will be read to the nation this morning by Premier Prince Fumimaro Konoye. The occasion is the celebration of the late Emperor Meiji's birthday. The text of the statement follows— "By the august virtues of his Majesty our naval and military forces have captured Canton and the three Wuhan cities (Hankow, Wuchang, and Hanyang); all other vital areas in China have fallen into our hands. "The Kuomintang Government (China's Government) no longer exists except as a mere local regime. How* ever, so long as it persists in its anti* Japanese, pro-Communist policy our country will not lay down its arms—• never until that regime is crushed, "What Japan seeks is the establish' ment of a new order that will insure the permanent stability of East Asia. In this lies the ultimate purpose of our present military campaign. "This new order has for its founda* tion a tripartite relationship of mutual aid and co-ordination between Japan, Manchukuo, and China in political, economic, cultural, and other fields; Its object is to secure international justice, perfect a joint defence against Communism, create a hew culture, and realise close economic cdhesion throughout East Asia. This, indeed, is the way to contribute towards the stabilisation of East Asia and the progress of the world, CHINA MUST SHARE. "What Japan desires of China is that that country share in the task of bringing about "this new order in East Asia. She confidently expects that the people of China will fully Comprehend her true intentions and that they Will respond to the Call of Japan for their coOperation. Even the participation of the Kuomintang Government would not be rejected if, repudiating the policy that has guided it in the past and remould* ing its personnel so as to translate its rebirth into fact, it were to come forward to join in the establishment of a new order. "Japan is confident that other Powers will on their part correctly appreciate her aims and policy and will adapt their attitude to the new conditions prevailing in East Asia. For the cordiality hitherto manifested by nations which are in sympathy with us Japan Wishes to express her profound gratitude. "The establishment of a new order in East Asia is in complete conformity with the very spirit in which the Ehv pire was founded; to achieve..fcuch a task is the exalted responsibility with which our present generation is entrusted. It is, therefore, imperative to carry out all necessary internal reforms with the full development of the national strength, material as well as moral, and so fulfil at all costs this duty incumbent upon our nation. "Such the Government declares to be the immutable policy and the determination of Japan." THE NINE-POWER PACT* ' A spokesman for the Foreign Office said that there was some sentiment in Japan for modifying dr abrogating the Nine-Power Pact, but. he was unable to state the Government's intentions. The Government has unofficially maintained for several years past that the Pact is a dead letter in fact. The newspaper. "Kokumin" earlier had demanded the recall of Sir Robert L. Craigie, the British, Ambassador, on the ground that he had done nothing useful during his Ambassadorship here. The Japanese Foreign Office spokesman paid a graceful tribute to the envoy by saying that Sir Robert was an able diplomat and remarking that the request for his recall represented the newspaper's, not the nation's, Views. The Japanese Foreign Office spokesman declared that Asiatics "can hardly accept as fair treatment" the existence throughout Africa and Asia of colonies ol Western nations, said a Tokioi message from the Associated Press on, the same day. The statement Was made following a question as to the probable tenor of Japan's reply to the United states Note of October 6 demanding an end of Japanese interference with American trade in China. The spokesman emphasised that he was nt commenting on the Note or a possible reply and was expressing only a personal opin"Your (American) Declaration of Independence states that all men are created equal," he sa]d. "This sentiment is becoming very strong among Asiatics. "CANNOT BE ACCEram" "We see sprinkled over Africa and Asia iftany Western colonies, and among Asiatics such a situation in the Asiatic fcone can Hardly be accepted' as fair treatment,"' The Japanese national holiday celebrates the birthday of the Emperor considered the founder Of modem japan. Meiji's reign,*from 1867 until 1912 covered the period in which Japan emerged from feudal isolation to become a world Power. The regionalism against Which China has been fighting ever since the beginning of the revolution and which she was gradually overcoming a few years prior to the outbreak of the present hostilities Will be deliberately encouraged by Japan under a new federated system adopted at the conference at Nanking between leaders of the Nanking and Peking regimes, said a Shanghai message to the "New York TimeS"" . i *r 1' . A formal announcement in Nanking says an understanding has been reached to establish a central Government in China, "based upon the Will of the people," but 'the actual plan seems to be a loose federation of Peking and Nanking and the proposed HankoW and Canton regimes, with the possible later adherence of the Autonomous j Inner Mongolian Administration. ! Japan's announcement to the effect that the Kuomintang Government, Which is still holding Western and South-western China, can be included in the federation, provided it abandons anti-Japanese and pro-Communist policies, appears to be an indirect suggestion for peace talks. i