Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE FRIDAY, JULY 18, 1941. JAPAN’S CHOICE.

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 July 1941, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE FRIDAY, JULY 18, 1941. JAPAN’S CHOICE.

CJJCARE stories about Japanese intentions are cabled almost daily, yet few of these are .substantiated by events. ' The latest crisis is more real, the resignation of the Cabinet demonstrating that

some important decision is soon to be announced. A fortnight, or so, | ago. a conference was held by GoI vernment and Service heads, after which it was stated that the national policy had been definitely decided. No details were given, but the fact of the Cabinet’s resignation suggests a lack of unani-l mity in Japanese ranks. Prince Konoye has been ordered by the Emperor, to form another Cabinet, and until the personnel of this is revealed, it is unwise to predict probable Japanese action. American Pressmen report that | complete mobilisation of Japanese s troops is proceeding and that I large sections of the armv in | China are being withdrawn. If this is true, the Chinese will take - every advantage of the lesser opposition to themselves. Japan may | move against Russia, or proceed with her Southern drive. Tn either event, she will be seeking trouble L better avoided. Russia is not so oc- H copied in Europe to allow her Far Eastern possessions to go by de- L fault. The Red Army in Siberia, p the Air Force,-and the naval yes- s seis available at Vladivostock, will E be able to make a good show. JustK what Britain’s position would be,h seeing that she is in alliance with £ Russia, were Japan to attack the n Russians, is not clear, but the door a would be open to serious possi- p bilities. It is true that Japan re- £ cently signed a neutrality pact with the Soviet, but what are such cl 2 agreements worth, these days? 7' Any southern move would involve ~ Indo-China and Thailand. Britain _ ni and the U.S.A, are watching de- c. velopments, and would take any y,

action necessary to safeguard their own rights. Japan would face any serious conflict considerably handicapped. The ■war with the-Chinese has left her resources strained, and her people are disappointed and discontented. Patriotism would arouse enthusiasm for a time, but the Japanese would have to gain a quick victory to justify the aggression. Such speedy triumph will be difficult. The Japanese navy is believed to be strong, and the army is to be respected. The Air Force, however, is not ranked highly, nor can Japan produce the number of planes essential to re-

place war losses. The navy has

adequate aerial protection, and experience in the Anglo-German war has proved how vulnerable this deficiency makes a fleet. It is estimated that Japan has about 3000 planes of all kinds, a number insufficient against Powers that have specialised on military aviation. Japanese cities would be unusually endangered by incendiaries owing to the wooden and flimsy structure of most of the buildings. The Germans do not rank the Japanese Air Force as of any consequence. Considering all the circumstances, the Japanese Cabinet may well pause before entering on further war.