JAPAN’S AIMS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 245, 15 October 1937, Page 8

JAPAN’S AIMS

TRADE POSITION BOYCOTT WOULD FAIL “It tickles me when they talk like that; it is nonsense,” said Mr. B. Suzuki, a prominent Japanese journalist, on his arrival at Auckland by the Wanganella on Wednesday, in commenting on views expressed in Australia that Japan could not do without Australian wool.

Discussing this and other questions which have arisen from the conflict between Japan and China, Mr. Suzuki was emphatic that a better understanding of Japan’s position and of the developments in China was essential to restore international relations.

“If Australia boycotts Japanese goods Japan will immediately boycott Australian goods,” he said, “and Australia will lose most, because Japan purchases four times as much as she sells in her trade with Australia. All the wool bought from Australia is for home consumption in Japan, and if the Japanese people are unable to obtain wool they will cease to wear woollen clothes. That is quite possible, for the majority of the Japanese have never worn woollen clothing, but cotton and silk. Australian and New Zealand must not expect that if they declare a boycott against Japan they will continue to sell their products. They would terminate trade, and Japan would gain most because the overflow of currency to Australia would come to an end at a time when it is most necessary for Japan to have all the money she can.” No Designs of Conquest Declaring that Japan had no designs of conquest in China, Mr. Suzuki said that no country could conquer China. The territory was too vast and the population of 500,000,UOi) could never be subdued by an outside Power. 1 An army of occupation of 1,000,000 would be necessary, and no Government could provide it. At the same time Japan was determined, he said, to let the Chinese know that there was a limit to antiJapanese activities and propaganda. It was also possible that in North China, when the fighting was over, Japan would wish to exercise some influence on Chinese policy. Safeguards against a repetition of the activities which had led up to the conflict would be necessary, and Japan might wish to establish industrial activities, both in primary and secondary production. “This may be regarded as selfish,” he continued, “but you must take into consideration that Japan is a little country, not much larger than New Zealand, and has a population of 80,000,000, which is increasing by a million every year. It is quite natural that a country like Japan, which is confined in a small area, should try to expand her activities on the nearby continent of Asia. No nation should condemn her as selfish. All nations are selfish. The policy of a 'white Australia’ is a selfish policy, and it is selfish for New Zealand, America and many other countries to shut out the