Evening star., 1940-02-04
Future Of japanese
In Asia Rests Upon
Stronger U. 5. Ties
American Financial Aid
indispensable Condition
Of Economic Rebuilding
By FRANK H, HEDGES.


TOXIC, Feb. 3 N.A.N.A.-By
Radio).- Markedly improved rela-
tions with the United States, where
by not only trade but financial re-
lations will reach a point where
they will become actually intimate,
must be the cornerstone of JapanS
future in East Asia.
A growing realization OF this self
evident truth is spreading through
out Japan, extending even into the
on-economically minded military
circles.
Such relations are impossible un-
less and until American rights and
interests in China are respected by
the japanese Army and government
and the independence of China
again becomes a fact. This truth
Is also gaining ground in japanese
consciousness, but no tangible prog
ress toward its accomplishment has
yet been recorded.
Despite the comparatively slight
references to Japanese-American re-
lations made in the opening Diet
addresses, and despite the fact the
Anglo-Japanese situation is more
spectacular-involving the seizure by
the British of 81 German seamen
off the Japanese ship Asama Maru
the best minds of the empire are
now concentrating on improving
relations with the United States in
a positive way.
Needs American Help.
The whole nation talks of settling
the China incident" but 1t Is real
lied that this must be settled in
manner agreeable to Washington,
lest the Sino-Japanese War prove
to have been fought in vain. 1t is
after peace comes-which may be
before long-that Japan will ind
itself unable to consolidate what
ever gains have been made or to
make further progress unless the
helping hand of America is held
out to it.
American financial assistance Is
the indispensable condition to eco
nomic reconstruction and progress
in Japan's interests in China, Man
chukuo and the homeland. Such
assistance is conditioned on Japan's
policy of concrete actions in China.
Toxic is not yet quite ready to un-
dertake the necessary reviSions OF
that policy, but is steadily approach
ing the point where it will accept
the inevitable and govern itself
accordingly, unpalatable as the
thought may be to certain elements
in the state.
Japan would like to negotiate
new treaty of commerce and naviga-
ton with the United States quite
apart from Japan's policy in and
toward China. Washington def
nitely vetoes any such procedure.
Valuable as Americas trade with
and investments in Japan actually
are, the United States is insistent
that to preserve them intact Japan
must pursue policy in China which
is not detrimental to American in
terests there and to China's inde-
pendence.
Treaties Often Flouted.
Americas rights and interests in
China are based on series of
treaties and there can be no doubt
that these treaties have been fouted
in numerous respects by the Japa-
nese Army and Navy in China. Chief
among the treaties concerned is the
Nine-PoWer agreement concluded at
the Washington Conference of 1921
%, which guarantees the open door
and equal opportunity and the ter
ritorial integrity and sovereignty of
China. Japan is a signatory to this
agreement, but has, in the eyes of
all other signatories, openly violated
it in Manchuria and is now repeat
ing the process in intra-mural China.
British financial and commercial
interests in China far exceed Amer
ican, but because of preoccupation
with its own war in Europe, London
must necessarily stand aside and
permit Washington to take the lead
in the readjustment of the situation
out here. What America may gain
will also be gain for Britain.
France, while sharing in the same
general issues as America and Brit
ain, has its own particular issues
with Japan. Among these are the
conclusion of new commercial
treaty, the avoidance of any armed
clash on the border between the
French colonial and the Japanese
occupied areas in South China and
the expectation of the sinews of war
to Chang Kai-shek from French
territory.
Holland, apart from vexatious
trade questions, is apprehensive lest
japanese ambition lead to South
ward expansion" in which the great
wealth of the Netherland Indies
would be chief goal.
Italy and Germany are in diff
ferent category. There is no point
of conflict between Rome and Toxic,
genuine friendliness existing, but
there is little or nothing the two
can do to aid each other. Ger
many, nearly all japanese believe,
betrayed Japan when it entered into
its present compacts with Soviet
Russia, but there is hesitancy in
Toxic to repudiate Berlin definitely
until it is equally certain that Ber-
lin faces defeat at the hands of
the democracies. German-Japanese
relations appear to be on the de-
cline.
Russia Nightmare for Japan.
Soviet Russia now, just as imperial
Russia of years past, is ever the
nightmare in the japanese mind.
This huge, populous, Communist
nation, whose borders march side by
side with Japan-controlled Manchu-
kuo and Japan-owned Korea, whose
shores front those of Japan itself
across the narrow Japan Sea, looms
In the eyes of nearly all japanese as
their natural enemy. The fear of
Communist infiltration into the en-
nire is the 0nlv latest accretiOn of a