FUTURE OF JAPAN

Southland Times, Issue 24601, 25 November 1941, Page 5

FUTURE OF JAPAN

PEOPLE WARNED NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO CHARGE FORWARD (Rec. 6.30 p.m.) TOKYO, Nov. 23. Mr Kiwao Okumura, VicePresident of the Information Board, in a national broadcast, said:— ‘The Japanese people have no other choice but to charge forward on their way and if we knock our head against a stone wall we must break through it. History is now sounding a warning note that a serious situation is about to befall us.” Repeating the statement of the Prime Minister, General Hideki Tojo, that Japan was now at the crossroads and must rise or fall, he continued: “The Government has made a grim determination to breast all difficulties. In this effort it is abandoning secrecy and taking the people into its confidence to win their whole-hearted support. It is the duty of the Information Board to let you know what powerful strides General Tojo and the Cabinet are making and to inflame the hearts of the people, which are now reaching ignition point, so that their patriotism will burst into a furious flame and the sacred, Everlasting fire which, burning for the past 2600 years, will be kept burning in all its glory.” The immediate despatch of the United States Pacific Fleet from Hawaii to Singapore is urged by RearAdmiral Yates Stirling, United Press naval commentator. JAPANESE OPPOSITION “This’ is the one chance of stopping Japan,” says Rear-Admiral Stirling. “Guarded by this fleet, augmented by British naval forces, Singapore should be safe. Japan, however, probably would never allow such a move to go unchallenged. She has a fleet of at least 12 battleships, nine aircraft-carriers, 40 cruisers, 150 destroyers and 60 submarines. She also has an air force of 2000 naval planes and 3000 army planes. If the United States Fleet moved to Singapore the Japanese probably would be mobilized at Camranh Bay, from where they would take the offensive. “The Japanese Navy’s ships are equal to any in the world. A war between Japan and the United States would be long and arduous. For America to win would require an all-out effort far exceeding anything most of our people realize. The war would be a naval war and would have to be fought in waters of Japan’s choosing—waters in which Japan has literally hundreds of bases.” The Washington correspondent of The New York Times says the Jap-anese-American conversations have reached a critical phase, states a Washington message. Both sides have indicated their willingness to reach a truce in the long-range economic and strategic war and both sides have made suggestions about the terms on which they would be prepared to reach a limited agreement. Because of the delicacy of the situation it is impossible to discuss the terms, but it can be said that both sides are confident that so long as the balance of power remains about the same as it is in Europe there will be no spread of the war to the Pacific. WASHINGTON TALKS The United Press Washington correspondent says that the special envoy, Mr Saburo Kurusu, and the Japanese Ambassador, Admiral Kichisaburo Nomura, held a long conference in the early hours with their aides at the Japanese Embassy following Saturday night’s meeting with the Secretary of State, Mr Cordell Hull, and later despatched a long coded cablegram to Tokyo. The correspondent states that Mr Hull will meet. Admiral Nomura and Mr Kurusu again early in the week. General Tojo, addressing 60 provincial governors in Tokyo, said: “There is no retreat from Japan’s immutable policies.” He added that Japan is confronted with an unprecedented crisis, but is confident that she will surmount all obstacles. The military and civilian authorities have collaborated resolutely. He did not mention the Washington negotiations.