FIRST STEP

Evening Star, Issue 23832, 12 March 1941, Page 7

FIRST STEP

JAPAN’S SOUTHWARD POLICY THAI-INDO-CHINA PEACE SIGNED Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright TOKIO, March 11. Franco and Thailand have accepted and signed the Japanese mediation plan. The signing was announced in a joint communique which revealed some modificaitions of the original Japanese plan. The ‘ Nichi Nichi Shimbun ’ says that the Thailand-French peace agreement marks the first concrete steps in Japan’s southward policy. The ‘ Asahi Shimbun ’ says the agreement marks the firm establishment of Japan’s right to leadership in East Asia. CEDED TERRITORY THAILAND’S GAINS TOKIO. March 11. (Received March 12, at 8 a.m.) The Thailand-Indo-China treaty terms include: France cedes to Thailand the district of Paklay, also the region lying north -of the boundary between _ the provinces of Battambang and Pursat, also tbe region on the right bank of the Mekong River bounded on the south by a line running northward along the longitude touching Grandlao and the southernmost end of the boundary between the provinces of Siem, Peap, and Battambang to the crossing point of that longitude and the line of the fifteenth degree latitude, thence eastward along that latitude to the Mekong River, with a small area lying opposite. Stung and Teng are reserved to IndoChina. DEMILITARISED ZONES EQUAL TREATMENT FOR NATIONALS , TOKIO. March 11. (Received March 12, at 11.40 a.m.) Under the Thailand-Indo-China treaty all the ceded territories will become demilitarised zones, with French Indo-China nationals enjoying absolutely equal treatment ■with Thailand nationals throughout these areas regarding entry, domicile, and occupations. Thailand will respect the mausolea of the Luang Prabang royal house, situated in the triangular zone lying opposite Luang Prabang, and will afford facilities for the preservation of worship. JAPAN’S SPOILS RICE AND TIMBER TOKIO, March 11. (Received March 12, at 10 a.m.) At the Indo-China-Thailand peacesigning ceremony M. Arsene Henry looked tired. Mr Matsuoka’s countenance was unusually severe. After the ceremony the Foreign Office issued a statement containing a summary of the negotiations which began on January 20. The statement said: “The situation was complicated with third Power machinations. Needless to say, Japan absolutely cannot overlook these machinations amidst disturbances calculated to hamper her mission for the establishment of common prosperity in East Asia. The difficult task of mediation has been amicably settled despite third Power attempt at obstruction and accusations that Japan was seeking her own advantage, but all such intrigues have been exploded, demonstrating Japan’s fair attitude.” The Associated Press correspondent reports that diplomatic circles believe that Japan has already been assured that she will receive the total rice crop and timber output from the ceded areas which are very rich in rice production. CHINESE LEADER'S APPEAL NATIONAL UNITY FOB VICTORY CHUNGKING, March 10. General Chiaug Kai-shek to-day appealed for national unity for the sake of victory over Japan. He spoke at the closing session of the People’s Political Council, which elected Mr Tung Pi Wu, a Communist, as a member, although he was not present. This is interpreted by the vernacular 'Press as a favourable move toward ending friction between the Nationalist Government and Chinese Communists. Chinese reports confirm the Japanese claims that they seized large quantities of materials, including 1,000 bales of cotton yarn and 10,000 drums of tung oil stored in Shiutung and intended for export to the United States. " CO-PROSPERITY SPHERE '* INDIA AND AUSTRALIA INCLUDED TOKIO, March 11. (Received March 12, at 9*25 a.m.) Admiral Gurapei Sekine, a wide-read Japanese naval critic, advanced a bold geographical definition of Japan’s “ coprosperity sphere,” including India, Australia, and the Philippines. Marking the high light of a series of provincial newspaper editorials advocating immediate advancement of Japan’s southward policy, Admiral Sekine wrote in the ‘ Nichi Nichi Shimbun ’ that the Japanese co-prosperity sphere should find its latitude in circles formed with a straight line connecting Tokio and Colombo as its radius.

“ Japan,” he said, “ has no territorial ambitions, but the» crux of the matter lies in the question: If Britain is defeated, under whose control will southerners fall?” RELATIONS WITH AUSTRALIA NEW JAPANESE MINISTER'S ASSURANCES BRISBANE, March 11. “ I made an overseas tour last year, and from what 1 saw the world appeared to me to be changing very rapidly,” said the first Japanese Minister to Australia, Mr Tatsuo Kawai, on his arrival to-day. Japan, he added regarded Australia as a nation with a great industrial future. “ There may be some people who think that Australia and Japan must inevitably quarrel,” he said. “ There is no need for quarrels if we try to understand each other’s problems.” Mr Kawai intends to establish his home and official quarters in Melbourne, but will maintain a suite at Canberra, where he will attend periodically.”