Evening star., 1941-09-02
Aviution Cos Ship
Is Approaching
Jopon's S Waters
Nv the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
TOXIC, Sept. 2.-Premier
Prince Fumimaro Konoye was
reported today to be considering
establishment Of an ocean safety
zone all around Japan as the
first American ship bearing avia-
ton gasoline to Soviet Russia
approached the empires waters.
Vladivostok, ringed by Japanese
Islands, was the gasoline carrier
port of call.
Gen. Seniuro Hayashi, director OF
the powerful Asia Development Fed
eration-representing about go Ma
tionalist groups-told the federatlon
TODAY Prince Konoye had agreed TO
consider its proposal for invocation
of a safety zone, extending the en-
tire Ocean area adjacent to the
Japanese Islands.
presumably such a zone. ex-
tending territorial waters OF the
islands into solid sea area,
would be patrolled by Japanese
varships and battle planes0
Resolution Given.
Firm maintenance of Japan's
present diplomatic policy, with ao-
herence to her Axis obligations as
the basis, was advocated by the Fed
Grafton in a resolution sent to the
Premier yesterday along with the
safety zone suggestion.
The United States Of late has
unreasonably frightened economic
pressure against Japan" the fedora
tion said. And it declared that TINS
action as well as supply OF materials
ito nations hostile to our AXIS
powers" must be rejected.
Domei. official news agency, re-
norted the arrival of fresh British
reinforcements at Singapore ano
Malavan bases and government
spokesman said Japan again was
drawing the attention OF Mosco" ano
washington to her concern over
shipment of United States war sup
plies to the embattled U. S. S. r.
The spokesman, Iichi Kishi, told
a press conference no official rephes
to Japanese representations mao
been received, but said there had
been expressions Of certain opinions
which were unsatisfactory to Japan. y
Crisis Held Avoidable.
Some japanese expressed the
opinion that an oil shipment crisis
could be avoided without loss OF
face to either side if American sup
niles to Russia we're routed through
Iran instead of the sea Of Japan.
CThis would about triple the dis
tance by sea-
Kishi indicated Japanese-United
States negotiations we're in delicate
stage, for he told correspondents the
less said about them at this time
the better.
Asked to comment on an army
spokesman's declaration that Japan
would use force if necessary to avert
encrclement by the United States
Britain. Russia and other nations
Kishi said it had no connection with
the washington talks.
He also remarked it would be q
mistake to draw any inference from
the apparent difference between
bellicose utterances of military nler
and conciliatory attitudes expressed
by civilians.
Opposes Long Passiveness.
1t. Col. Itsuo Mabuchi, chief OF
the army press section of imperia
headquarters, said in broadcast
last night that japan was resolved
to construct her Asiatic co-prosper-
ity sphere even though it meant
ENTRY into long term war against
Britain and America"
Mabuchi, in an unusually frank
statement, asserted it would be dan
gerous to wait passively too long
but said soldiers should not be sent
to war uselessly and therefore dip
lomatic efforts should be pushed as
long as possible.
Peaceful means will not be al
lowed TO be dragged along forever,
he said, adding that if diplomatic
means failed, Japan would break Out
of encirclement forcefully before
economic pressure reduced her tt
pauper status.