JAPANESE ACTIVITIES.

Wairarapa Age, 3 February 1936, Page 6

JAPANESE ACTIVITIES.

SUSPICIONS IN THE PACIFIC. MISUSE OF MANDATES. LONDON, January 31. The “Sun-Herald” agency says that despite*the Mandates Commission’s repeated requests to Japan to candidly explain her activities in Pacific Island mandates, only a generalised account was supplied asserting that construction is limited to harbour improvements. The Japanese have failed to allay the League’s suspicions, especially as under a mandate fortifications are not allowed. Important new light is thrown on the developments by an American journalist, Mr. Willard Price, who has just concluded four months’ investigations in these islands. In an article in the “Spectator” he says that he left the islands with the clear conclusion that there is no ground for suspicion regarding fortifications but every reason for grave concern regarding the islands’ significance in Asia’s future. An amazing labyrinth comprising the Marianne, Caroline, and Marshall groups consists of 1400 islands, irrespective of small islands and reefs. It is so situated that Japanese aeroplanes could reach Australia in six hours, Hong Kong and Singapore in ten hours, the Dutch East Indies ‘in three hours, and the Philippines in two hours. Some of the islands are perfect hiding places for warships, submarines and aircraft. Mr. Price describes Palau Harbour as valuable as a potential .naval base to accommodate at least fifty large warships, and occasionally Japanese warships anchor there. Merchantmen are not allowed. Its existence is not generally known, He saw no refuelling bases and no fortifications, though if necessary these could probably come into existence with surprising alacrity. Mr. Price refers to the Mandates Commission’s fears of a naval base being constructed in Saipan Harbour and says that Saipan is so exposed that it is the only important harbour which would be completely useless as a naval base.