JAPANESE POLICY

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 December 1940, Page 8

JAPANESE POLICY

MR. MATSUOKA’S REVIEW PACT AND WAR WITH U.S.A. [BY CABLE —PRESS’ ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] (Recd. December 10, 9.45 a.m.) TOKIO, December 9. Mr. Matsuoka, in a general interview with foreign correspondents, sgid: “The Triple Alliance represents the keystone of Japanese foreign policy. However,' war against/ America originating from this could come only in the event of America being adjudged the aggressor in a conflict with Germany.

“If Germany attacks America, the Tripartite Pact will not be invoked. If the United States attacks Germany we will have to join in the war. The three powers involved must decide. They will first judge independently, then the three will get together, exchange views, and determine whether this supposed American entry comes under Article Three of the Treaty. If all agree, naturally, Japan will be under an obligation to participate. I hope such a case will not arise. That wish is the very object of the pact.” Continuing, Mr. Matsuoka said: “I am hoping, even praying, that we can reach a better understanding with the United ■ States. I do not see anything in the Pacific over which we should fight.” Asked concerning the reaction to the possibility of American warships being at Singapore Mr. Matsuoka said: “Such an eventuality would immediately’- become a matter for serious consideration by Japan.” He said that the East Indies negotiations were purely economic, and the whole great East Asia programme was entirely removed from territorial ambition. “We are opposed to conquest, oppression, the exploitation, whether by Japan or anybody else. Some of our people advocate those very things, and unfortunately, those ideas of greed and conquest imported from the west. A minority, including Prince Konoye and myself, while appreciative of foreign benefits, believe we should restore old Japanism, and advocate great good for the greater number. If we cannot win that fight, Japan will go down. We are not fighting, conquering and exploiting China, although I admit it looks like that. I say, give us time, and we will prove—perhaps 30 to 50 years hence—we mean the things we are saying.”

CHINESE TROOPS HANOI, December 9. Authoritative neutral and also Chinese circles reported that five crack divisions of Chinese troops, equipped with heavy artillery, are concentrated on the Indo-China-Kwangsi border. Additional forces are arriving daily. This is reported to be the result of an alleged ChineseBritish agreement, whereby China will aid Britatin in restraining further Japanese moves southward. BRITISH DENIAL (Recd. Dec. 10, 12.20 p.m.). SINGAPORE, December 9. British General Headquarters, replying to Japanese reports, says it has “no knowledge of any negotiations proceeding for a secret Anglo-Chinese alliance.”

SEIZURE OF GOLD NEW YORK, December 9. A Domei broadcast states that the Nanking regime police boarded the British steamer Hsinpeking, at Shanghai and seized gold ingots valued at 320,000 dollars, believed to be from Tientsin. TRAINS DESTROYED SHANGHAI, December 9. It is authoritatively stated that Chinese guerillas, in one week blew up five Japanese trains, mostly in north China. There were several hundred casualties, including a few Japanese troops. THAI-FRENCH FIGHTING. HANOI, December 9. An official French communique states: “Early on Sunday in an unprovoked attack, Thailand troops ma-chine-gunned the French side of the Mekong River-at Vientiane. We replied. Thei-e were no casualties on our side. At 8.10 a.m. the shooting was resumed. In the afternoon a Thai plane flew over Vientiane. No bombs were dropped. At 5 p.m. Thai light bombers and one fighter dropped ten bombs oh Vientiane, injuring a civilian, burning a house, and destroying two huts. The French authorities during the past three months have shown sufficient cold-bloodedness and willingness to negotiate. However, they could not tolerate this. This morning a French plane dropped 22 bombs on Lakhon, in Thailand, southwest of Vientiane.”

JAP. AGGRESSION, HANOI, December 8. French Customs officers at Haiphong bn Saturday attempted to prevent Japanese illegally landing artillery, for which there is no provision under the present agreements. The Japanese, according to an eyewitness, drew revolvers and continued to unload.