SWASTIKAS IN JAPAN

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 March 1941, Page 10

SWASTIKAS IN JAPAN

IMPRESSIONS OF TRAVELLERS. SYDNEY, February 27. The sign of the swastika is plas[tered all over Japan, according to travellers who have arrived in Sydney. Carved in the rock of a hill overlooking Kobe harbour is a big swastika which- can be seen for miles." Travellers said that the Nazi in- | fluence on the Japanese is obvious ' everywhere. Swastika flags fly in all the cities, and even the wrappings on sweets have swastikas printed upon them. One man estimated that at least 50 Germans arrived in Japan by every ship from Russia. They were business men. economic experts, technicians, and a few military men. Some of the officers strutted around in uniform. “The Japanese people are dogtired,” said a visitor. “Their energy has been sapped by the China War. They have to work long hours. Their faces are drawn, pale, and thin. Often they are so tired that they fall asleep as they travel to their homes. With memories of the industrial classes of Japan fresh in your mind, to see robust, well-fed, sunburnt Australians everywhere is heartening.” According to the Japanese papers and radio, these travellers said, Germany and Italy are winning the war hands down. British and Greek successes are “played down. ’ When the Greeks started to chase the Italians all over Albania, Japanese papers dismissed the Greek victories with small paragraphs.