The- "Asahi," the other most important daily in Tokyo, said it was "at a loss to understand" the demands of the Powers \for a reopening of the Yangtze on the grounds that since the Wuhan cities had fallen, the hostilities were over.
"The fall of Wuhan does not mark the end of the conflict," the newspaper declared. "The Chiang Kaishek regime is wildly rushing on with preparations for continued hostilities. Is it not loudly proclaiming the need to disturb the rear of the Japanese forces and seeking an opportunity to carry into effect those tactics?"
Tt was "unavoidable," the "Asahi" said, that under present conditions Japan should retain the Yangtze as an artery for military transportation and to continue to refuse third party vessels passage on the river.
The daily pointed to the announced Japanese willingness to permit third party war vessels to proceed downstream as evidence of "efforts undertaken by Japanese naval and military authorities on the spot to protect the interests on third party Powers even under such trying conditions."—Domei
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.