Manawatu Evening Standard. MONDAY, JULY 21, 1941. JAPANESE POLITICS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 196, 21 July 1941, Page 4

Manawatu Evening Standard. MONDAY, JULY 21, 1941. JAPANESE POLITICS.

The practice which has developed of imparting personality to a nation is chiefly responsible for the clouding of vital issues. Thus in the past few weeks concern has been aroused as to the course Japan will adopt in the light of the Itusso-German war and the weakness of the Vichy Cabinet. But, in reality, “Japan” in every case connotes Prince Konoyc, his Foreign Minister, the Minister of War, and the Minister of the Navy, with their associates. When their outlook and aspirations are grasped the trend in Tokio becomes more readily understood. As far back as July, 1937, Prince Konoye (at that time, also, holding the Premiership) declared in the House of Peers: “International justice will be attained only when the redistribution of territories and natural resources has been completely effected.” Mr Matsuoka, who has been dropped from the Cabinet as a sequel to his ' recent misjudgments, has been as astute in furthering the plans for a “Greater East Asia,” and both the War and Navy Ministers are leaders of the extremist group. The resignation of the Cabinet, it is clear, was not dictated by any attempt to water down Japan’s proposals, but to overhaul the machinery for the rapid execution of these plans—or, as the official version expresses it, to “make way for a stronger Government capable of the effective execution of the national policies for coping with the ever-changing world situation.” Japan’s nationalism is likely to become intensified, even at the expense of her relations with the Axis, and in spite of the accession to the Cabinet of moderating influences it is believed she is likely to proceed with her much-heralded southward drive.

Since the highly important Imperial Conference at the beginning of the month, the details of which were never announced, the liveliest interest has been displayed in Japan’s next move, and apprehension has not been allayed by reports of troop movements and persistent rumours of demands on the Vichy Cabinet for bases in Indo-China from which to embarrass the British position in the Far East. There cun be no doubt that Sir Robert Brooke-Popham carefully timed his warning that “whatever the British forces in the Far East may be called upon to perform they shall not be found wanting.” Prestige has been whipped up to an inordinate extent by the extremists in Japan, and this is a vital consideration at the moment. Her decision lias been really whether she should play her own hand or wait for Hitler’s. The fact that Germany went into action against the Soviet without “consulting” her A xis partner seemed to encourage an independent move by the Japanese to do their own fishing in troubled waters. It may be in preparation for such an undertaking that a “strong man” team has been assembled by Prince Konoye.