Washington, Nov. 30.
American defence experts, studying the apparently authoritative Berlin reports that Japan was establishing naval and aerial bases in the mandated islands in the Pacific, today nointed out that the United States was naturally deeply concerned over any Japanese activities in this direction.
The State Department, however, points out that it has not at any time tered a formal with the Japan Government over previous reports of such fortifications.
Naval experts said that such moves às were reported by the Berlin se: official annual "Nauticus," to be in progress would extend Japan's outer defence lines nearly to the centre of the North Pacific. In addition they would give Japan a north-south dee extending almost to the The Berlin report aroused interest in Washington, especially in view of the fact that "Nauticus" is published under the sponsorship of the Reich's high naval command.
Threat to Philippines Experts called attention to the fact that if Japan strategically fortified the islands she rules under mandate from the League of Nations, it would directly cut American communications with the Philippines. They said that if Saipan were fortified it would tend to neutralize the strategic importance of Guam as an important link in the American route to the Philippines.
Furthermore, these experts pointed out, if the Palau group, lying about 500 miles east of tne Philippines, was fortified, they would form a strongly strategic base for Japanese naval operations, especially in relation to the Philippines.
Other new Japanese naval bases near Formosa, such as the one reported to be under construction as Mako in the Pescadores, would tend to offset the value of Hongkong in the Hongkong-Manila-Singapore triangle.
The establishment of the bases mentioned as being under pre: future construction in the ins islands would tend to "be Philippine Islands on the south, the east and the north, naval tacticians coneluded.—United Press,
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