Japan Scents A Political Move

Northern Advocate, 28 July 1939, Page 7

Japan Scents A Political Move

(Received 1 p.m.) LONDON, July 27.

The Japanese Foreign Office spokesman said that it was most difficult to grasp the underlying motive of the denunciation of the treaty with America, whose reasons were of the briefest.

It was highly susceptible to the interpretation of a political move. He added that Japan, however, was ready to negotiate if the United States desires a new treaty conforming with the new order in Asia. He said abrogation was unthinkable. Official notification has not been received by Japan, and he could offer no reason for the action of America. Wall Street Slumps Reuter’s Tokio correspondent says Mr. Roosevelt's action has torpedoed the Japanese people's notions in regard to the American attitude toward Japan. A long campaign of misrepresentation has led to the belief that America would not object to Japan’s

policy. The Stock Exchange slumped badly, stocks falling as much as three yen. Observers say the denunciation foreshadows economic and commercial stops to combat the Japanese attempt to create a new order by force. Japanese industrialists regard the immediate effect as negligible, but it epens the way to more drastic action China Encouraged

The denunciation of the treaty with Japan by the United States is considered at Chungking to be the greatest gesture and moral encouragement to China that any Power could make. It tempered the disappointment at the agreement between Britain

and Japan. Diplomatic quarters in Paris say it gives Japan six months’ grace to modify her China policy, while politcial circles at Moscciw hope it is the first step to a complete embargo on all war materials to Japan.

The denunciation is described in the Berlin press as a “flank coverage for Britain to counter-balance the Tokio capitulation, and one stage towards an arms embargo.”