JAPAN’S SECRET NAVY

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 June 1937, Page 13

JAPAN’S SECRET NAVY

BUILDING OF BIG SHIPS Hector C. Bywater, “Daily Telegraph" Naval Correspondent writes: In respect, of naval policy Japan has reverted to the hermit-like seclusion in which she lived up to the middle of last century.

Since last autumn all the usual channels through which information about Japanese naval construction was previously obtained have been blocked. Not only have the Japanese newspapers been forbidden to mention (his subject, but the Japanese Diet has boon told (hat no information can be imparted to it concerning the numbers and types of warships under construction, or the progress of building,. It must vote the money without asking questions.

Japan had already declined to join in the international system for exchanging naval information established by the London Treaty of 1936. Since then every possible loophole—official as well as unofficial, it is understood—has been sealed. !, is doubtful whether anybody outside (he Ministry of Marine in Tokio knows what is going on in the

Japanese dockyard, or what the approximate strength of the Japanese Navy will be two or three years hence. , PROVISIONS OF TREATY This singular situation may have serious political reactions. By hist year's treaty the British Empire, the United States, and France agreed to accept, qualitative restrictions on their future warships, and these limits have since been accepted in prim

ciple by Italy, Germany, and Russia. Battleships are restricted to .35,000 'tons, and their guns were not to exceed 14in. calibre, though this has now been raised to IGm. following Japan’s refusal to conform. Cruisers 1 were limited to 8,000 tons and 6.1 inch guns, aircraft carriers to 23,000 tons, destroyers to 1,850 tons, and submarines to 2,000 tons. Il is obvious, however, that these limits can lie adhered to only if they are accepted by all the leading navies. '.Japan, bv rejecting them too, may I have signed the death-warrant of naval limitation, and. incidentally, torpedoed the 19.36 treaty. There are persistent reports from Washington and Berlin that Japan is laving down capital ships considerably larger than 35,000 tons, as well as cruisers of 9,000 to - 10.000 tons. If {this is confirmed the escape clauses •of the treaty will probably be invoked at once by'the United States.'which is determined to maintain its relative strength in the Pacific. Japanese naval experts are quoted as saying that America cannot comipete with their super-battleships, because no vessel above .35,000 tons could use the Panama Canal. That is a fuiHacy as the locks have a width of 1110 ft.. and H.M.S. Hood, of 42,100 tons j has a beam of 1051 ft. I The only definite item of news is I that the Japanese Navy estimates for 11936-37 amounting to approximately I £30,000,000—24 per cent, of the entire ’Budget— will be considerably exceeded in the new financial year, largely owing Io the big building programme now in hand.