JAPAN IN DIFFICULTY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 95, 21 March 1938, Page 11

JAPAN IN DIFFICULTY.

CHINA PRESENTS PROBLEMS. AUCKLAND, March 18. Features of the present situation*'in the Ear East were discussed by Mr W. L. Holland, research secretary of the Institute of Pacific Relations of New York, upon his arrival to-day. Born in Timaru, Mr Holland lias been engaged with the institute in America, Hawaii and the Far East Since and he contends that Japan has become embarrassed on account of the amount of territory she haS conquered, and can give up" none of it for financial reasons without admitting deieat. ..“It must be realised,” Said' Mr Holland, “that Japan has not enjoyed the easy victory she seems to have had. There is definite doubt whether Japan will even win the war. Because of tremenuous economic handicaps, she has been unable to progress tar in spite of her amazing military superiority. Japan was greatly disillusioned by the Chinese resistance, and what was intended to be a short,. Sharp invasion into a slice of a northern province of China has, because of this resistance, involved the country in a nation-wide war.

.. “The situation is now very serious. The Chinese may hold tile Japanese for a while, but not indefinitely. They are prepared, however, to retire into the Western province, which is practically inaccessible, and from there they will keep up a series of guerrilla actions for several years if necessary. At the moment China is getting a little alien support, and with the aid of British, American and Russian air pilots has been able to do much danu age to Japanese communications. “The Japanese economic situation is in a sorry state,” Mr Holland continued. “It is. costing her far beybnd her wish in the matter to garrison largo areas that were not wanted, but which now have to bs retained. Imports have been limited drastically, so that only goods for war purposes enter the country. “The tragedy of the thing is that the Japanese people, who did not want war, Were pushed into it by militarist groups aiming to conquer the whole of Eastern Asia. The people make no secret of the fact that Great Britain, and not China, is their cnemv, and that, but for its intervention, the war won’d have been over long ago. “The amount of anti-British agitation in Japan at present is amazing.” said Mr Holland. “Britain is being denounced as the great obstructor of Japan’s destiny. It is also surprising that Japan is more hostile to England than to Soviet Russia. Actually their threat against Communism is for propaganda purposes only.”