Evening star., 1940-08-06
Militant japan

'Hiit0IIt S0pOii
1t seems more than likely that
Japan's outburst of militancy on
three fronts-in London, Vichy and
Washington-may be of German in
stigation. Anything calculated to di-
vert attention from the Nazis' prepa-
ration for blitzkrieg against Great
Britain admirably suits Hitler's pur-
poses. Whatever its inspiration,
Toxic during the past few days has
manufactured trouble for itself with
all three Western powers. The new
Konoye government, having pro-
claimed its Greater Asia" program
calling for japanese domination of
French Indo-China and the Dutch
East Indies, is nanifestly bent upon
exploiting this critical stage of the
war for realization of expansionist
dreams.
The controversy with Britain,
which contains the seeds of aggres-
sive action against Hong Kong and
other British territory, is concerned
with the arrest of British nationals
in Japan and counteraction result
ing in the arrest of two Of London's
foremost Japanese businessmen.
Yesterday, previous requests to
Downing Street for their release
having proved fruitless, Ambassador
Shigemitsu was preparing a third
protest. Suggestively enough, none
other than the Berlin official radio
announced that If the representa-
tives, respectively, of the powerful
Mitsubishi and Mitsui interests are
not released, Japan will, II neces-
sary, break off diplomatic relations
with Britain" The same source says
Japan will demand guarantees"
against recurrence of such arrests.
Toxic apparently decided upon an
other protest after learning Of other
japanese arrests in Rangoon and
Singapore. In both Japan and
Britain the persons in question were
taken into custody on espionage
charges.
Meantime, popular Japanese feel
ing against Britain is mounting
steadily. Mass meetings Of protest
in Toxic and Osaka called for an end
OF British influence" Such out
bursts typify the crusade long To-
mented by the war party, looking to
expulsion of Britain from China and
other regions comprehended by the
new order in ASIA" which Nippon
Graves.
From Vichy and Shanghai come
circumstantial reports that Japan
has made sweeping demands on the
government of French Indo-C China.
These include the right to use the
French railway into the Chinese
province of Yunnan for military
operations and to establish mill
tary or naval base on the Indo- China
coast. The objective in both cases is
to facilitate Japanese hostilities
against Chang Kai-shek. If the
japanese can control the French
railroad, they will menace the south
western provinces which are Chiang's
stronghold. A coastal base would
serve naval purposes in the South
Seas and promote Japan's ambition
to dominate the Netherlands Indies.
While pushing these various plans
with respect to Britain and France,
Toxic has launched protest at
Washington against the United
States decision to limit export of
aviation gasoline and scrap metal to
the Western Hemisphere. OF both
products Japan has been an extern
sive purchaser here during her three
year effort to end the "China Incl
dent"
What all and sundry Of these de-
.velopments add up to is that Japan
is clearly out to fish in troubled
waters, to capitalize on the alb
sorption of nations which are at
war, have been vanquished in war
or are busily preparing against the
danger of war. Britain, disillusioned
by appeasements of Toxic, seems in
no mood for further compromise.
France is helpless. The United
States is maintaining that attitude
of firmness which alone Is designed
to compel respect in the land of the