MOSCOW AND BERLIN

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20490, 26 February 1941, Page 7

MOSCOW AND BERLIN

POSSIBILITY OF TOUR JAP. FOREIGN MINISTER l « x .. - QUEST FOR NEW PACT (Reed. Feb. 26, 9 a.m.) SHANGHAI, Feb. 25. Informed circles in Shanghai understand that the Japanese Foreign Minister, Mr, Yosuke Matsuoka, is tentatively planning to visit Moscow and Berlin in March. His departure may necessarily be postponed until the conclusion of the Indo-China - Thailand peace conference. Moreover Tokio circles, which deprecated the emphasis on the Axis relationship, are reported to doubt the advisability of the trip. However, Mr. Matsuoka believes that a personal visit is necessary to conclude a non-aggression agreement with Moscow satisfactory to Japan, because Mr. Tatekawa’s negotiations arc believed to have fallen, short of that objective. In view of the international perturbation and the possibility of a sudden Japanese southward thrust observers in Shanghai point out that Mr. Matsuoka would hardly be able to plan a European tour if such a development were impending. On the other hand diplomats consider such a tour, if successful, would remove one of the most important considerations dt present restraining the southward push."