JAPANESE AFFAIRS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3566, 18 July 1922, Page 21

JAPANESE AFFAIRS.

REDUCING THE ARMY. TOKIO, July 14. The Japanese press states that a large section of the public is denouncing the published plan of army reduction, which tails far short of the popular demand. The majority of the newspapers declare that the reductions are largely on paper without materially reducing the men. Admiral Kato states' that further reductions in money and men are being worked out. EVACUATING SIBERIA. TOKIO, July 14. Tli,e Foreign Office formally announced its decision to withdraw tne Japanese forces from the mainland section of the province of Saghalin, thus clearing Siberia, but Japan will continue to occupy the Russian portion of Saghalin Island pending the Nikolaievsk settlement. A Foreign Office official says that Japan will remain in occupation indefinitely and will await negotiations, for the initiative must come from Moscow. Meanwhile the Japanese are exploring the island for oil, and are d-oing some test-boring. JAPAN AND HER NAVY. SYDNEY, July 14. The Daily Telegraph publishes a special article by Mr Poolev, who was formerly Reuter’s' special correspondent in Japan. Dealing with Japan’s naval policy, Mr Pooley says: “The latest designed Japanese submarines are of 2300 tons development. They are armed with six torpedo tubes, and are armoured over their vital parts. They will have a cruising capacity of knots over a- radius of 16,000 miles. They are capable of voyaging around Australia and back to Japan without touching port.” Mr Pooley considers that there is nothing insuperable in such a feat. After dealing with other details of Japan’s naval construction, he adds: ‘lt is not unnatural, in view of past history, that some suspicions of Japanese intentions have been aroused., but for the present at any rate there does not appear to be any fair grounds for imputing aggressive designs to Japan.” The writer declares that Japanese naval opinion does not share the view that the submarine is useful only for commerce raiding. On the contrary, they have a great belief in the future of submarines in a fleet. He points out that Admiral Kato scrapped his war and pre-war submarine programme when the surrendered German submarines which were allotted to Japan arrived, and drew up an entirely new programme after careful examination of this booty had been made. Mr Pooley concludes his review of other branches of Japan’s naval policy and construction as follows :—“lf the Japanese programme does not justify the suspicions of the bombardment of Sydney and the raiding of Australian commerce, no harm is done by keeping a watchful eye on its future developments. Perhaps that is why a most- distinguished admiral is steering the New. Zealand ship of State, and why one of the most distinguished submarine experts has taken command of the Royal Australian Navy, or what is left of it.”