Evening star., 1934-11-30
SA|T0 SAYS RUSSIA.
MOST LIKELY F0E|
Ex.Premier Of Japan Says
Idea of Hosti|ities With
U.S.. "UtterIy Untenable."
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
BOSTON, November 30.--ViScount
Admiral Makota Saito, former premier
of Japan, in the second of series OF
two articles published in the Christian
Science Monitor yesterday. SCOTS at the
possibility OF war between Japan and
the United States, but views the
Japanese situation more seri-
ously.
He says that the assumption OF
hostilities between his country and
the United States is utterly unten-
able: that the possibility of aggres-
sion by either power would be incon-
sistent with the fundamentals OF
naval strategy, and that there is no
logical bone of contention between
the two nations.
On the other hand, he says that
Japan's proximity to Russia, with
Toxic just four and half hours by
air from Vladivostock, the numerous
border incidents and the growing
power of Russia's land. sea and air
forces make for situation in which
Japan must not relax its vigil"
Defends Manchoukuo Policy.
He defends Japan's policy in Man
choukuo and contends that in time
the new state will prove itself. He
saws the establishment of the state
has been a step in the right direc-
Iion toward relieving the acute ten
sion in East Asia"
In decrying the possibility OF war
between the United States and Japan,
the viscount emphasized the distances
between the two countries, their out
posts and their naval bases. He says
1t is an axiom of naval strategy that
no fleet of battleships, cruisers, de-
stroyers and auxiliaries can campaign
more than $500 and 5000 miles from
Its base.
He pointed out that Honolulu and
the United States naval base at Pearl
Harbor are 1874 nautical miles from
the japanese naval base at YokoSuka,
lust below Yokohama. He says that
even if an enemy fleet did reach the
shores of either country, it would be
badly harraSsed by long-range guns,
destroyers operating at night. sub
marines, mines and aircraft and would
probably fail in its mission.
AS for Pearl Harbor, he says: Il
regard Pearl Harbor as a good naval
base, adequately protected from at
tack by sea or air. 1t would be an
invaluable base for operations for an
American light fleet, but it would be
difficult to maintain under protracted
war conditions. as it is itself 2,lO0
miles from San Francisco, its closest
point of supplies and requirements"
He does not think the Philippines
are important to the discussion, he
said, and he expressed a conviction
his country would be glad to enter
into any pact of all countries guar
anteeing the perpetual neutrality of
the islands.
He AYERS the fact that the Panama
Canal Zone is 5000 miles from Japan
makes its aggression by the latter
out of the question. Airplanes, he
contends, have not yet been developed
to point where they would be effec-
tive for long distance combat or
bombing expeditions such as conflict
between the United States and Japan
would require AS for airplane car
riers, he says Japan would have only
so or IS per cent of the strength of
United States in this category by 1886.
Discusses Russia's Nearness.
Referring to Russia, he says:
II wonder what the American atti-
tude would be if you were constantly
aware. "a hours of the day, that en-
smy planes could attack the very
center of your Nation on four and
one-half hours notice? Furthermore
Japan is not spread out as America
is. Our national and industrial life
centers around Toxic Bay and around
the concentrated Osaka-Kobe area.
Attacks against these two crucial
points would be decisive.
With the constant building up of
reserves and supplies in Siberia and
the military development of this area,
the Army and Navy of Japan have a
much more critical mission to perform
than have the defensive forces of
America and Britain. The war de-
partment in Toxic recently issued a
statement showing IA individual
border violations by the soldiers and
police of the Soviets since January Of
this year. That in itself is not a
happy prospect.
49, Strong naval power has
often been referred to as an ally of
diplomacy. and that is our aim in
Japan"