PACIFIC PROBLEMS

Southland Times, Issue 18970, 18 June 1923, Page 5

PACIFIC PROBLEMS

JAPAN AS WORLD POWER URGENT NEED FOR MATERIAL AND TERRITORY (By arrangement with the Morning Post). (Copyright). (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, June 17. (Received June 16, 5 5 p.m.). In order that Japan may become the industrial nation she desires, far more raw material than is forthcoming within her own Empire, is needed. With her increasing population, food supplies become a more vital problem. Notwithstanding the enormous rice production and prolific fisheries, Japan is becoming more dependent on outside foodstuffs. To buy these, she must develop her industries, and for these she must have raw materials from the world markets. Since the war these have become too expensive for the Japanese purse, so she naturally looks nearer home for raw materials. At her door, is China, the largest undeveloped market in the world, a market in whose door two feet are figuratively wedged, America’s occupation of the Philippines and Britain’s colony at Hong Kong. Other pre-war rivals, Germany and Russia, have been crushed by circumstances and it would not be natural if Japan’s attention were not firmly fixed on the Anglo-American rivalry, at her very door. One result of over-population and the development of industry is that a large element of lower Japanese industrial classes lack adequate means to express their lives, in terms of work and reasonable living. This restive element might well be come inculcated with revolutionary ideas, owing to the proximity of Soviet conditions on the Mainland and the military party who still largely control Japan’s foreign policy, see in this a force which they can direct to their own ends. From time immemorial the outstanding factor in Japanese life has been the almost godlike position of the Throne. This Emperor cult is slowly losing hold, as western education opens the eyes of the people to more material things, and the military party are by no means averse to translating their dream of conquest into action. While the old ideals still make for patriotism, there is a strong current of sympathy in Japan with India, and other Asiatic countries, under the Western yoke. Japan in its interior conditions, to-day resembles Germany in years before the war. The army is the supreme all. The old custom of physical training has been brought to bear on the mind of young Japan with an efficient military end in view. For an Empire of her size, surrounded by water, and fearing no territorial aggression, it seems incredible that 21 army division; are kept in being, but it is a fact, which must largely dictate Japanese policy. An impartial visitor to Japan will always be delighted with the politeness and courtesy of the people, but it is now a politeness of equality, and hedged about for foreigners with almost Prussian rules and regulations. Suspicion is everywhere. Travellers are asked why they came, what they are doing and where they are going. It is largely a suspicion of youth, that of a young nation raised by victory over Russia and its share in the Great War, to a position of equality, which it does not yet quite understand. It is quite genuine, and at times resentful, the chief cause of resentment being Japan’s exclusion from British Columbia, California and Australia. Modern thought in Japan, although none of her leaders will probably admit it, runs principally on lines that she is, and must be recognised as the chief Power in the Pacific. From that hypothesis, she will automatically assume the hegemony of the yellow races; she - will obtain China as a closed market for herself; and sooner or later she will have an inalienable right to deal, on absolutely equal terms, with all other powers anywhere in the world without the colour bar for her nationals. In what way this undercurrent of thought in Japan will come to the surface, it is impossible to foretell. It is obvious, however, te cope with it without proceeding to the last resort of war, she will have to find an outlet for the dynamic power of her surplus population. One method of avoiding conflicts between nations, is making alliances. Japan had one such alliance with Britain, which is now terminated. She resents that termination, and knows that she is unlikely to obtain an alliance with any other leading Occidental power. She has but two courses open if she wishes to solve the problems without resort to arms. One is an alliance with Russia and, perhaps, Germany included, and the other is an ‘alliance with the old Chinese Empire. Which ever she adopts would not commend itself to England or America, particularly since those two nations, although faced with the same problem in the Far East, have at present no more than friendly interest in each others affairs.