Wairarapa Times-Age FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1939. THE ATTITUDE OF JAPAN.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 September 1939, Page 4

Wairarapa Times-Age FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1939. THE ATTITUDE OF JAPAN.

MUCH as the war in Europe at present tends to fill the outlook, 1L serious attention is claimed, not least in the British Pacific Dominions, by reports from Shanghai that Japan has asked England and France to withdraw their military and nawi forces .from China, “011 their own initiative, in order to avoid untoward incidents.” Another version of the same report, l that the Japanese Navy has requested the commanders m the British and French International Settlements to withdraw the forces from China “to remove the danger of incidents resulting from the European War.” What exactly that is supposed to mean is not stated, but the Japanese Vice-Foreign Mmisteiis reported to have told the British, French, 1 olish and Gciman Ambassadors

that Japan was gravely concerned over the attitude °f the P towards the Sino-Japanese war and drew attention to the aesn ability of eliminating all causes of incidents between the belligerents

The plain English of this Oriental elaboration and embroidery no doubt is that Japan perceives, in existing circumstances, an opportunity of pursuing, by more direct and aggressive methods than have hitherto been practicable, her aim of gaining an unimpeded freedom of action against China.

Another element in the developing situation is suggested, with what authority has yet to appear, in a cablegram irom Moscow yesterday which stated that the Japanese Ambassador to Russia, Mr. Togo, and the Soviet Vice-Connnissar for Foreign Affairs, M. Lozovski, had “begun preliminary talks covering relations between Russia and Japan and aiming at a settlement of outstanding friction.” Mr. Togo is credited with the statement that he understood

that Tokio was examining the idea, but he had not been instructed to take the initiative for a Russo-Japanese non-aggression pact.

That the possibility of a pact oE the kind being discussed should even be contemplated, if it is' contemplated, by a responsible Japanese diplomat, implies an astonishing change from the state of affairs existing'very recently.

Japan hitherto has professed to regard tin 1 Soviet as hei arch-enemy and her declared intention lias been to combat by every means at her command the, Bolshevisation of China- An alleged apprehension of the spread of Bolshevism in China is one of the principal pretexts by which she seeks to justify her invasion of that country. Nazi Germany also professed to regard the Soviet as its arch-enemy, however, and now that Germany has entered into friendly relations with Russia, it is perhaps not impossible that Japan may seek to do the same.

If events take that course, serious significance evidently will be imparted to the request Japan is reported to have addressed to Britain and France that they should withdraw their forces from the Far East. The suggested situation is not ■without its obvious difficulties, but if a new problem is thus to be created for-Britain and France it is equally clear that the problem will also concern the United States unless she is piepared to allow her own not inconsiderable interests in the Far East to go by the board.

A much greater question than that of the maintenance of the commercial and trading interests of foreign powers in the Far East evidently is involved. That greater question is whether the poljcy of aggression is to proceed unchecked in Eastern Asia, in conditions in which China would be robbed of her last hope of defending her independence and ultimately re-establish her national integrity.

Much seems likely to depend upon the standpoint from which these possible developments are regarded by the American Government. Should events even begin to take the course suggested, a continuation of the present rather passive attitude of the United States towards events in the Far East presumably will amount to acquiescence in changes which would alter considerably for the worse the general outlook in the Pacific.