The Wilmington morning star., 1945-04-06
Foe Accused
OF Assisting
The Germans
Move Leaves Question Of
Soviet-Nipponese War
Unanswered

LONDON, April 5.-LF)-Russia
denounced her neutrality pact with
Tokyo today, bluntly accusing Jap.
an Of helping Germany and pos
sibly clearing the way for eventual
Soviet entry into the Pacific war.
In strongly-worded note, Mos
COW linked the European and Paci.
fic wars for the first time by de-
claTing Japan had aided Germany
and, lin addition, Japan is fighting
against the U. S. A. and Great
Britain, which are allies Of the
Soviet Union" Moscow broadcast
the announcement of its action to
the world.
The question whether Russia
will go to war against Japan was
left unanswered. The denounced
five-year neutrality pact does not
expire until April Is, 1916 - more
than a year from now. But the
note which Foreign Minister Vyas-
cheslav Molotov handed Japanese
Ambassador Naotake Sato this aft
ernoon in Moscow placed Japan
squarely in the enemy's camp and
stated Soviet Russia's opinion that
Japan had violated the pact.
+ Shortly before Moscow acted, the
government Of Premier Gen. Kuni-
aki Koiso in Tokyo fell in the
midst of a political and military
crisis, and Emperor Hirohito sum-
moned Adm. Baron Kantaro Suz-
uki, 77-year-old president of the
Privy Council, to form new gov
eminent. Suzuki has been regard
ed as moderate aloof from
previous military cliques ruling
Japan and his selection raised
the possibility a Japanese peace
cabinet might be installed.
The Japanese crisis was precip-
itated by the American invasion of
Okinawa and perhaps also by
strong indications of the ominous
Soviet diplomatic blow.
Moscow's announcement sal d
that Molotov told the Japanese
ambassador that the neutrality
agreement had 'lost its meaning
and continuance of this pact has
become impossible.
Russia ratified the pact April as,
1941, and it was to have been con-
tinued for another five Yeas I'M
less denounced year before it's
expiration.
The note given Sato was remin-
iscent of the same line taken by
Russia last September when Rus
STA went to war against Bulgaria,
accusing that Axis satellite of aid
ing Germany against Russia and
declaring Bulgaria actually has
been in state of war with the
Soviet Union fo:: a long time"
Animosity has marked Soviet
Japanese relations for so years,
and both countries have strong
armies massed on the Soviet
Manchurian frontier, where bor-
der "ski-mishes" amounting to
large-scale battles were fought
and largely overlooked by the rest
of the world during the opening
days of World War II in Europe.
The reputation of the pact gave
Russia a free hand for joining in
any joint action the United Ma
tons might decide to take against
Japan at the San Francisco con.
ference opening April rs.
The main purpose of this meet.
ing is to lay the foundation for an
international security organization
against aggressors-a n d Premier
Stain already has publicly brand
ed Japan "a typical aggressor ma
tom - equally guilty with Ger.
many.
British official circles here were
silent on the possible implications
of Russia's latest move, but the
first comment from the British
Press Associations diplomatic cor.
respondent said lit seems some.
thing more than coincidence that
the resignation Of the Japanese
government should precede SO
shortly the Soviet announcement"
The first official reaction same
from H. v. Evatt, Australian for.
eign minister here for a Donin.
ions conference, who said that the
Molotove declaration demon.
strates that Russia will play a not
able part in the future security and
welfare of the peoples Of the Pa
cific.''
Describing the Moscow an
nouncement as 'characteristicaIl ally
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