Tokyo, Jan, 22.
IHARGING M. Molotov, President of the Council of People's Commissars; M. Litvinoff, Commissar of Foreign Affairs; Budennyi, of the War Commissariat; and others with rately spreading the belief that Japan was planning to invade Soviet Russia, a spokesman of the Japanese Foreign Office made a statement to the press his morning, He asserted that Japan's only desire was to follow a peaceful policy and stressed the importance of countering pernicious Propaganda as it was seemingly gaining credence even among responsible foreign statesmen, such as M. Edouard Herriot, former French Premier; and Mr, William C. Bullitt, American Ambassador to Russie.
ring to declarations made by M. Molotov and otifirs in Moscow last month, alleging that Japan was preparing for war, the spokesman pointed out that the Soviet had seemingly purposely allowed foreign correspondents to send most sen-national cables from Moscow for a sensational effect, despite the very strict censorship.
Stating that it was Japan's policy to solve pending questions with the Soviet by peaceful means, the spokesman cited, as an example, Japan's calmness' despite such Soviet_provoc: tion the publication of alleged secret documents. He asserted that Japan had not reinforced her troops in Manchuria despite Soviet concentrations there—Reuter, Moscow, Jan. 22, Dealing with the Soviet's foreign polley in the course of an address fore the Moscow City and Retional Party Conference, M. Kaganoviteh, Secretary of the Central mittee and of the Moscow Renal Committee of the Communist "Our whole international policy has been centred on the struggle for peace, which moans, first. of all, a correct understanding of the contradictions between capitalist states, in order to utilise these con-traditions, making allowance for all sincere desires -to delay war, and concluding non-aggression pacts; secondly, the exposure of the in: trigues and underhanded dealings of enemies; thirdly, the mobilisation of all world forces against war; fourthly, the strengthening of the defensive capacity of the coun: try—strongthening the power the Red Army."
M, Knganoviteh pointed out tha on the question of Wwar, two groups Of capitalist countries exist, one of which is to-day not seeking" war, hile to: the other group belong Countries which consider themselves having been wronged after thi World War, and which destve to arm themselves in order to. develop fand expand. "With our policy, tive preference to those countries Which do. not to. solve the conflicts and contradictions of today by military means. Our potley Zonsists- of not giving an oppertun-{ty to. Tmperiatist Governments. to solve their contradictions at the expense of the USS. them an opportunity masses of their people with the idea that the Soviet Union Ts a menace: ing the attitude of the British Con. servatives towards the USSR. I may say that the diehards are endeavouring to become. the leading organisers of all underhanded dea ings, even war, against us, but their cunning machinations and insiduousness will be crushed by the force of our great country.
"The establishment of normal retations between the Soviet Union and. United States represents the createst factor in strengthening the international position of bot countries, and. strengthening the struggle "for peace. 'The import. fance'of normal relations between the two great powers is extremely great, especially from the view point' of the situation in the Far East, "The most acute problem is our relations with Japan. We desire to carry on a peace policy towards Japan. We have displayed mum " endurance, si though our {colings revolted against it. Japan began to act insolently on the Chinese Eastern Railway which be: longs to the Soviet Union, but, we guide ourselves not by the feeling! St indignation, but by sound analysis of the situation. We say, If you. desire to seize the C.E. this will provoke a serious conflict.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.