INTENTIONS OF JAPAN

Southland Times, Issue 24576, 27 October 1941, Page 5

INTENTIONS OF JAPAN

- POSSIBLE ATTACK ON a BURMA ROAD s ;t * ATTEMPT TO CUT LIFE-LINE a s NEW YORK, October 24. 3 “Japanese troop movements during t. the past 48 hours have at last clarified " the intentions of the new Japanese Government,” says Vincent Sheehan, The New York Herald-Tribune correspondent in Singapore. “What they indicate,” he adds, “is neither a northern nor a southern adventure, but an attack on the Burma Road by way of Yunnan Province, r This, if it were successful, would cut China’s life-line and would make American aid impossible. r “My information is that the Japanese r are now landing fresh troops at a Haiphong and Canton, while the move- - ment of their forces in Upper Tongking e along the Yunnan border has been 1 going on for about a week. Railroad a equipment is being brought up there _ as if for the reconstruction and use . of the Yunnan railroad. ; “The troops at Haiphong are in- * tended merely as a threatening gesture ' towards Hong Kong. Simultaneously, - Japanese troops are moving towards f the Thailand border in Cambodia to 5 guard the southern flank. 1 “If the Japanese can drive through '■ to Kunming they hope to check Amerit can plans for aid to China without 5 involving Japan in a war with any - major power.” , GRAVE ECONOMIC SITUATION 3 The United States Department of 5 Commerce reports that Japan’s econf omic situation is grave. Primarily, this t is the result, of the cessation of trade t with Britain,' her Dominions, America - and the Netherlands and the Dutch : dependencies—countries which prej viously accounted for 75 per cent, of Japan’s total foreign business. The report adds that Japan is now dependent on. the resources of the Yen bloc area t whose prospects of self-sufficiency are , not bright. 3 Japan is faced with the almost com--1 plete dislocation of her cotton exports, . with an uncertain future for the silk . industry, and with a severe shortage 3 of strategic materials. j The chairman of the Japanese inforr mation Board, Mr Ishii, said that the j negotiations in Washington were pro- , grossing. He pointed out that Japan’s ' every point had been explained to j Washington and he added that he , thought “everything rather depends” i on Mr Cordell Hull, the United States Secretary of State, and the Japanese ' Ambassador, Admiral Kichisaburo ' Nomura. i ■ SPECIAL SESSION OF DIET , The Japanese Cabinet has decided to r request the Emperor to convoke a . special five-day session of the Diet on ; November 15. The Information Board j says that the purpose is to “obtain , approval of additional Budget plans j and legislative Bills to meet the curj rent situation and also to express the ’ firm determination of the present ’ Cabinet about the prosecution of ’ national policies.” ‘ Observers offer the opinion that the ; primary purpose is to approve large ; military appropriations. * “The situation in the Far East is , extremely strained,” said Colonel > Frank Knox, United States Secre- , tary of the Navy, at a Press conl ference. “We are satisfied the Jap- [ anese do not intend giving up their expansion plans. If they pursue them, a collision is inevitable.” A message from Honolulu reports that American-born Japanese, when they arrived from Japan in the Tatuta Maru, said Japan was a war-armed and rationed camp ready for war though food was short. When they left a week ago war fever was high. The people were prepared for air raids and sea attacks and believed a conflict was inevitable. New shortages of foodstuffs and new restrictions are almost daily complicating living. An open suggestion by the Japan Times and Advertiser that Japan should offer Thailand her “assistance” is causing deep concern in authoritative circles in Thailand, states a message, from Bangkok. Continued Tokyo references to the alleged success of anti-Japanese political plotters in Thailand is also viewed with concern because of the inherent threat which these suggestions carry to Thailand’s neutrality policy. Thailand has repeatedly declared that she will uphold neutrality, even to the point of war, in the event of aggression from any quarter. SESSION OF DIET The Dcmei News Agency stated that the Japanese-American negotiations were likely to be the chief subject of discussion at the extraordinary session of the Diet. The New York Times Tokyo correspondent, Otto D. Tolischus, says the Cabinet’s decision to petition the Emperor for the convocation of an extraordinary session of the Diet took the nation completely by surprise and caused much speculation. Japanese newspapers declare that the Prime Minister, General Hideki Tojo, will seek national support for the Government’s policy, thus eliminating the fear that he might follow the example of other military statesmen. The Nichi Nichi Shimbun says the session will reveal the new Government’s attitude to the United States in order to obtain the nation’s solid and resolute support. Mr Tolischus agrees that the calling of the session marks a return to Japanese constitutionalism. It side-tracks the totalitarian ideas that Axis enthusiasts have propounded. The Tokyo correspondent of the United Press reports that tonight’s air raid drill was so realistic that nine persons were killed and 25 injured.