JAPANESE OCCUPY TIMOR

Timaru Herald, Volume CLI, Issue 22204, 23 February 1942, Page 5

JAPANESE OCCUPY TIMOR

NOW 400 MILES FROM AUSTRALIA Portuguese Protest To Tokio By Telegraph-Press Association—Copyright (Rec. 9.45 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 21. A Vichy news agency correspondent reports from Lisbon that Dr A. Salazar (Prime Minister), at an extraordinary session of the Assembly, announced that the Portuguese Government had formally protested to Tokio against the Japanese landings on Timor. Dr. Salazar said the earlier British and Dutch infringement of Portuguese sovereignty did not justify Japan's action. Dr. Salazar paid a tribute to the loyalty of Britain in the negotiations relating to Timor, but said that, unfortunately as the result of various circumstances, a month had been lost in dispatching Portuguese troops from Mozambique to Timor to relieve the British and Dutch occupation forces. The Japanese Minister to Lisbon at 6 p.m. on Friday presented a note to the Portuguese Foreign Minister announcing the Japanese occupation of Timor for military reasons, but stating that Japan recognised Portuguese sovereignty over Timor. Dr. Salazar adds that Japan’s action represents a flagrant violation of Portuguese rights. Measure of "Self-defence” The Tokio official radio stated that the Japanese effected landings at dawn on Friday in both the Dutch and Portuguese sections of the island of Timor, bringing the Japanese Army within 400 miles of Australia. No details of the Japanese landings in the east and west of Timor have been received from Allied sources, but Tokio claims that the position has been consolidated. The landings were effected near Dilli, in Portuguese Timor, and Koepang, in Dutch Timor, under the guns of Japanese warships. The landings on Timor are described in Tokio as a measure of self defence. This probably refers to the action of the Allies in sending forces to the island when the presence of enemy submarines seemed to herald an immediate attack. The Allied forces were scheduled to be withdrawn as soon as Portuguese forces arrived. It is stated in informed circles in London that Japanese Imperial headquarters has issued a typically false statement regarding the Japanese action in Portuguese Timor, states a British Official Wireless message. When Japan began hostilities against the Allies, the virtually undefended state of Portuguese Timor rendered it easy prey for her. She had already established agents there and the nucleus of an air base. The threat to Allied communications, and particularly to Darwin, was one which could not be Ignored. When operations by Japanese submarines in the vicinity of Portuguese Timor portended an imminent Japanese attack, the Allies sent such forces as were available to assist in the defence of the territory. When they were informed by the Portuguese Prime Minister that he Intended to send a Portuguese force to garrison the territory, the Allies readily agreed to withdraw their own troops as soon as this force arrived.

The Japanese Government was fully aware of this position and of the fact that the Portuguese troops are now nearing their destination. But with customary hypocrisy the Japanese pretend that no solution has been reached in order to justify their attempt to seize the territory before the Portuguese troops arrive. Japan’s plea of self-defence is clearly ridiculous. It cannot be doubted that Japan always intended to occupy Portuguese Timor at the moment which suited her, and her attack, which threatened to develop in December, was merely delayed. Japan would, at no time, have any more scrupples about violating Portuguese territory than she has had in many previous aggressions. The Tokio radio claims that Japanese forces are proceeding to occupy the whole of Timor Island. Australian troops tried to restrain their advance but were repulsed. A Batavia message says it can now be revealed that Timor, Flores and Sumba Islands have been frequently raided by the Japanese since January 26, when enemy fighters for the first time strafed the aerodrome. A plane carrying the assistant resident of Timor and a Koepang district officer was shot down. All the occupants were killed. There have been several aerial attacks on shipping in the Timor Sea.