THREAT TO JAPAN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23026, 2 May 1938, Page 11

THREAT TO JAPAN

MENACE OF COMMUNISM ISSUE IN WAR WITH CHINA CONSUL-GENERAL EXPLAINS [nv TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] "WELLINGTON, Saturday Tho growing menace of Communism in the Far East was the real issue in tho Sino-Japanese conflict. The Nanking Government was dominated by Russian influence, and the throat to Japan had reached the stage where forbearance was no longer possible, declared Mr. Kuchi Gunji, who arrived this week to take up his duties as first Consul-Gen-eral for Japan in New Zealand, in an interview to-day. "We do not ask the outside world to favour Japan against China itself, but we do ask that if you listen to tho Chinese assertions you should also listen to our side," ho said. "J'he Nanking Government's policy consistently has been anti-Japanese, and matters had reached the stage where Japan had no alternative but to take action in her own interests. "Nanking is dominated by Moscow, and if China became wholly Red a grave menace to British and American interests in and around the Pacific would immediately ari.se. For her own sake Britain should co-operate with Japan to combat Communism in the Far East." Russia was Japan's enemy and must remain so. Japan had no territorial ambitions in China. Her foreign aspirations were purely economic, in order to allow the development of her industries at a rate that would enable her growing population to live. Mr. Kuchi Gunji said it had been asserted many times that the army had forced the Government into the present trouble, but that was untrue. Japan had never been more united.