Evening star., 1941-04-21
Japanese Press Sees
Axis-Soviet War on
U. s., Britain, China
Conflict Moy Break Out
Before June, Paper Says;
Troop Moves Reported
HN III Associated Press.

BN tie Associated Press.
TOXIC, April 21.-A portion Of
the Japanese press declared yester-
day that 'ft no longer is a crazy
dream to expect a great war with
Japan, Germany, Italy and Soviet
Russia on one side, and the United
States, Britain and China on the
other"
The newspaper Miyako, which was
joined in this line of thought by
other papers, said possible war be-
tween Germany and the United
States would necessarily lead to
war between Japan and the United
States" and that this war might
come before June.
At the same time, Japan and the
Soviet appeared to be accepting
their neutrality pact of a week ago
at face value.
1t was learned that there have
been recent removals of Japanese
troops in Manchukuo toward the
south, in a direction indicating they
were not bound for China, while
the well-informed newspaper Nichi
Nichi reported that visas for foreign
travel on Soviet Russia's trans
Siberian railway have been banned
through May 8.
May Be Moving Army.
This may mean that Soviet Russia,
too, is moving her Far Eastern army,
considered her best, toward a more
troubled Eastern Europe. Moscow
dispatches, however, said nothing
was known concerning the reported
16-day suspension of passenger
traffic on the trans-Siberian.
Signing of the Japanese-Russian
pact Sunday, April 13, was accom-
panied by a declaration pledging
mutual recognition of Manchukuo
and Outer Mongolian frontiers de-
Tended by Japan and Soviet Russia.
Observers have suggested that
raith on both sides in this agree
ment would permit the Japanese
to weaken their Manchukuo garrison
for any southwark move she may
contemplate, and at the same time
allow the Soviet to concentrate her
interest In European events, par
ticularly in the Balkans, and on
guarding her own Ukraine.
The Japanese troop movements
may be along routes indicating they
are not heading toward North China,
but for Dairen or other Japanese
controlled ports in Manchukuo and
Korea, where they could be en-
barked for a movement toward
Singapore or Indo-China.
The Japanese army in Manchu-
kuo, however, is generally estimated
at not more than 100000, and a
large part of it would be required
for normal garrison duty in the
large territory.
Matsuoka at Manchuli.
Nichi Nichi's statement on trans
Siberian travel was contained in
dispatch from Manchuli, on the
Manchukuo- Siberian border, where
Foreign Minister Yosuke Matsuoka
arrived yesterday from his historic
tour of axis capitals and Moscow.
In broadcast, Matsuoka urged
the Japanese people to stand firm"
in the same way the German and
italian peoples are standing in
Europe, and said all official and
civilian quarters in Germany and
Italy reveal their determination to
share the lot of the Japanese and
Manchukuoan peoples. I wish Jap
anese and Manchukuoans would
clearly recognize that"
Appearing jovial and confident, he
declared the pact would be bene-
fetal both to Japan and Russia,
and that the opposition of some
newspapers of other powers was
rather childish"
Praising the really warmhearted
treatment given me" in Moscow, he
said he had gained the impression
that remarkable advance" had been
made in domestic conditions in the
Soviet since his last passage through
the country eight years ago.
Pact Complete Surprise"
"In short, the Soviet, to say
nothing of Germany and Italy, Is
full preparedness with a
firm resolution to combat the un-
4 AZ Il r.