Evening star., 1941-01-17
Mafsuoka May Reply
To Hull on tuesday,;
Press AssaiIs u. ).
bitterest Criticism in
Months Directed 1T
America by Joponese
ny the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
TOXIC, Jan. 17.-With the Japa-
nese press already assailing United
States Secretary of State Hull's
testimony on United States defense
needs as "a clear challenge to the
axis, short Of an ultimatum," it was
reported today that Foreign Minis
ter Yosuke Matsuoka was preparing
to reply with speech in Parlia-
ment next Tuesday.
Moreover, Domei, Japanese news
agency announced, Premier Prince
Fumimaro Konoye soon will clarity
for the public his cabinets policies.
Testifying Wednesday before the
House Foreign Affairs Committee in
Washington, Secretary Hull assert
ed that danger to the United States
would be multiplied many fold" If
Japan, Germany and Italy, sigma
tories OF an all-for-one and one-for-
all military alliance, gained control
Of the high seas.
Bitter Criticism.
Pending any official presentation
of Japan's attitude, the press singled
out such statements by Mr.. Hull
for the bitterest criticism directed
at Washington in many months.
Expressions in many Japanese
quarters indicated that the Secre-
tary of States remarks had pro-
duced deeper anxiety here than any
development since Washington last
October advised United States citi-
sens to withdraw from the Orient.
1t was indicated that high Off
cials had debated most of today
the advisability of making an imme-
diate reply to Mr.. Hull and then
decided against it.
Assurances that the Cabinet In
formation Bureau would issue a
reply to Mr.. Hull today fell through
on Domei's announcement tonight
that none was forthcoming.
Inquiries an hour and a quarter
earlier had brought the bureaus
reply that a statement had been
drafted and was being translated
into English.
Third Meeting of Week.
High military and cabinet Off
cials met with Premier Konoye
for the third time this week as ia
pans reaction to the United States
attitude in the Far East was reflect
ed in bitter anti-American comment
in the press.
Foreign observers expressed be- |
lief the almost unprecedented series
Of conferences was indicative of !
closer cooperation between the
cabinet and army and navy chief |
tains.
They noted that today's confer
ence, which took place in the pre-
mier's home and lasted IS minutes,
was attended by the War and Naval
Ministers, the Ministers of Home
and Foreign Affairs and high-rank-
ing officers of both army and navy.
Domei said vital questions" were
discussed.
Konoye's Group Meets Today.
The powerful Imperial Rule As
sistance Association" headed by Pre-
mier Konoye, also was scheduled to
meet today TO discuss the advisable |
ity of nation wide expression of the
peoples sentiments toward the
attitude of the United
States"
In its attack on the Secretary Of
State, the newspaper Yomiuri called
Mr.. Hullis statement an example of
Americas "pig-headed anti-Japan-
isms and said his criticisms of the
axis powers were prompted by
malice and hatred"
Referring to Mr.. Hull's assertion
that the United States has made no
threats toward Japan, Yomiuri
asked:
Has a more transparent, bare
faced lie ever been uttered by any
statesman in the world before?"
Asahi, which headlined its edi-
torial "Outrageous Utterances by the
American Secretary of State" ac-
cused the United States of seeking
to control the East Indies, Australia,
New Zealand and Singapore.
1t declared Mr.. Hull's conception |
OF freedom of the seas would be con-
sistent only if the United States re-
manned east of the 180th meridian.
Instead" it said, the United
States is using the situation as a
pretext for interference in other
areas and is endeavoring to check
the proper rights Of other countries
to 60 forward"
Asahi added that "the Secretarys
arguments are nothing but mixed