JAPANESE PLANS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 135, 10 June 1942, Page 5

JAPANESE PLANS

( Special Australian Correspondent) SYDNEY, June 9: Australia has an interest in the battles of Midway Island and Dutch Harbour far surpassing that aroused by $he few window-smash-ing shells fired at Sydney and Newcastle- The outcome of these encounters, it is recognised, threatens Japan's South-west Pacific strategy. The reports of the battles have aroused in authoritative circles a feeling of optimism that was notably absent following the Coral Sea encounter, "The jshadow of invasion under v/hich this country has lain for so many weeks has not lifted, but it will be sensibly lightened now that at least two more of Japan's aircraft-carriers have gone to the bottom and numbers of her battleships and cruisers, badly damaged, are limping painfully home," says the "Sydney Morning Herald" editorially. INVASION FEARS LESSENED. It is believed that the outcome of. the northern battles must play an important part in converting the Japanese Pacific purpose from an offensive to a defensive one, designed not to expand but; to protect their conquests. Thus the earlier fears of a direct invasion ol the northern Australian mainland have been eased, though not abated- . . But it has now become increasingly important to Japan that the AmericaAustralia supply line should ha cut. Japan has taken a step in this direction by virtually completing the occupation of the Solomon Islands, Moves against the New Hebrides and New Caledonia, when the enemy will meet stiffening Allied resistance, must logically follow. Only then would Japan have the necessary bases from which to attempt a serious blockade of Australia and prevent its development as the arsenal of offensive strength for the Allies. The recent enemy submarine maraudings are seen as a futile attempt at initiating that blockade. Other stronger efforts are anticipated, i ■

THREATENED BY SEA FIGHT