This accounts for the emphasis being placed on national defence, and for the fact that for some years to come the entire life of the Empire is destined to. revolve round this single pivot. Any dreams of conquest that Japan may or may not have entertained have been put to one side. It is possible that they may be revived-at some future date, but for the time being it-is perfectly safe to assume that the guiding principle of Japanese policy is so to strengthen the Empire in every way that it need have no fear of any foreign enemy.
Fortunately, the realization has dawned in all quarters, unless among the radical younger element ju the Army and the bureaucracy, that nà- tional defence mean more than a huge Army and Navy, adequately armed and equipped. The Tokyo War Office is now.conscious of the fact that there are such things as economies, ahd that economists are best able to deal with them. It is willing to trust this task 0" experts, but at the same time it feels impelled to tell those experts what it desires and to ask them to bring this about.
It is also realized that there must be unity of public opinion in support of any national programme if that programme is to succeed, and so a very earnest effort is being made io win such unity. Prince Konoye's Premiership is outstanding proof of this, but there are other proofs as well such as the loyalty being a. corded him by the press of the na tion.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.