JAPANESE COMMENT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 19 May 1941, Page 5

JAPANESE COMMENT

SITUATION IN NEAR SAST SAFEGUARDING TRADE [U.P.A.-By Electric Telegraph-Copyright j TOKIO, May 17. Commenting on developments in Syria, "Yomiuri Shimbun” declares: “The Near East must not be trampled or oppressed as a mere stage in the battle between European Powers for supremacy. Japan must watch Near East developments with the greatest care, because of the overwhelming predominance of Japanese trade in the Near East. European countries tend to believe that the Near East is part of Europe, but it belongs to the Asiatics.” The Japanese Foreign Minister, Mr Matsuoka and the Minister of War, Lieut-General Tojo, attended a luncheon honouring German, Italian, and Russian! ambassadors to-day. Prince Konoye. i toasting the Tripartite Alliance, said that German, Italian and Russian goodwill made Mr Matsuoka’s European tour successful. Authorities representing six of the i largest cities met to discuss Japan’s aerial defences. Newspapers said that special attention was paid to defending factories and urban areas. Major Shozo Nakamura, head of the Information Section, said to-day that Japanese troops had extended over a huge front to prevent the Chinese from obtaining substantial material aid from the United States or Britain. He asserted that Japanese forces occupy a massed front on the Kwantung coast in south China through central and north China to Inner Mongolia. BRITAIN CHARGED The “Nichi Nichi Shimbun" charged the British Government with an “inhuman attempt” to disturb Japan's foodstuffs policy by ordering natives in the west Pacific Islands not to sell copra which the Japanese had contracted to purchase at 100 yen a ton. The “Yomiuri Shimbun” asserts that • the trade talks in Java are at the cross-; roads because the Dutch are showing j little sincerity, due to their belief in! an ultimate British victory. The | “Yomiuri” says: “Japan expects only J economic co-operation, consequently! Java should follow the example of Thai- j land and Indo-China and recognise Japan as the leader of the East Asia co- 1 prosperity sphere.”