PACIFIC CRISIS

Evening Star, Issue 24016, 15 October 1941, Page 7

PACIFIC CRISIS

AGGRAVATED BY AMERICA JAPANESE PRESS ACCUSATION TOKIO, Oct. 14. ' The Press continues to charge the United States with aggravating the crisis in the Pacific. The ‘ Nichi Nichi ’ said: “ As long as the United States remains blind to the realities of East Asia, which demand sweeping changes, the current Japanese-American negotiations are destined to failure.” The newspaper added: “ In the event of the United States continuing to give assistance to Chungking, Japan will be forced to make an important resolve to meet the situation. It is now high time for Japan to be ready for war with every confidence and valour.” RELATIONS WITH AMERICA JAPAN DESIROUS OF IMPROVEMENT (Rec. 10.5 a.m.) TOKIO, Oct. 14. Mr Ishii said Japan would try until the last minute to remedy JapaneseAmerican relations. The spokesman expressed the opinion that the United States would do likewise. He said Australian, British, Chinese, and Dutch pressure against Japan was most active during the Washington conversations.

JAPAN'S ECONOMIC STATE DESCRIBED BY EVACUEES AS DESPERATE (ißec. 12.25 p.m.) SINGAPORE, October 14. Japan’s economic state, since the freezing orders of the United States, Britain, and the Netherlands has been desperate, according to English, Australian, and Indian evacuees who arrived at Abour Anhui. Discussing the possibility of war in tho Pacific, some evacuees contended that matters had gone too, far for compromise without a conflict, but expressed tho opinion that the Japanese people greatly feared war with Britain and the United States. One ivell-informed person said Japan’s object was to, consolidate her present southern position so that she could be ready to move northward against Russia if the German campaign was successful. The Japanese feared the bombing of their cities from Vladivostock, where, it was reported, long-range American bombers were available. Reports of Japanese resentment at the Nazi grip on the Government departments in Japan were confirmed, by the evacuees. This applied particularly to tho military and gendarmerie, whose Gestapo methods, under tho direction of the German Gestapo Headers, made life for foreigners unbearable in contrast with the generally courteous attitude of the ordinary Japanese police. The evacuees included wealthy business men who had been forced to abandon assets which had taken a lifetime to build up in Japan. All were emphatic that there must he no Pacific appeasement.

U.S. FRIENDSHIP SOUGHT JAPAN WILLING TO MAKE SACRIFICES (Rec. 11.5 a.m.) MANILA, Oct. 14. “ The Japanese will sacrifice their plans for Tailand and abstain from action against Russia in order to obtain closer ties with the United States.” said the new Japanese ViceConsul, Mr Masao Fukuda, on his arrival from Tokio. The Japanese people and the Foreign Office were smcerely seeking American friendship. The Japanese public was jubilant last month when rapprochement plans were discussed, business men hoping for re. storation of trade with the United States. SITUATION IN LIBYA PROBLEMS FOR GERMANS ARMY OF THE NILE VERY STRONG LONDON, Oct. 13. The ‘ Daily Telegraph ’ says.: “ Germany has good cause for apprehension regarding the position in Libya. Dysentery, sun blindness, and other sickness are taking toll of the German troops, and the Italian troops have lost their fighting spirit. The 11.A,F. and the Navy increasingly hamper the supplying of Axis forces in Africa, apart from the necessity of reinforcing them with armoured vehicles from Europe. Germany is well aware also that if war-weary Italy wanted a separate peace she would appeal to the Allies for military protection, and if the British previously swept the Italians and Germans from Libya and Tripolitania now possibilities would open. Germany would certainly like to know whether the Russians’ demand for war material has deferred the moment when the Army of the Nile can strike, but this army is very strong and can operate independently of aid sent to stiffen the Russian southern front.” NAZIS EXPELLED POSITION IN TEHERAN ALLIED TROOPS WITHDRAWN LONDON, October 14. British and Russian troops have been withdrawn from Teheran. They are no longer needed there, as all the Nazis have been expelled. HOME GUARDSMAN KILLED FLAME-THROWING APPARATUS EXPLODES LONDON, Oct. 14. A member of the Homo Guard was killed and 10 others were injured, including a major-general, when an explosion occurred at Horsham, Sussex, during a demonstration of a new flamethrowing, apparatus which is being issued to the Homo Guards.