Statement Made by a Tokyo Semi-Official Weekly Tokyo, Jan. 7.
Now that it Is quite certain that we have to be prepared for @ protracted war in China, it seems neve sary for Japan {o take Immediate steps to strengthen her hold of the Nanking area, and assume responsibility for setting up @ military government over that, distret, says the "Herald of Asia," a Japonee weekly.
"Hohat means necessarily assumption by us of a pretty heavy financial re~ sponsibility," the Journal adds.
"But that responsibility," it \continues, "can be made good to a large extent by: taking over the Customs administration of Shanghai, as has been dono in the North, "In addition, some system of direct toxallon of a light nature will be in~ erensingly productive In proportion fo the return of normal condition fo tua in the course of camp ively. short interval a fairly large amount of revenue will be provided by. this source.
"sqm ease we have to extend our military occupation to the surrounding provinces, we should follow the same procedure, "in this. way we can slay a Tong. me, {f not permanently, im oceupae tion' of the Chinese provinces with dgereasing Anancial obligations "itis. obvious that the Chinese population will benefit much from the continuance of our military pation of their country, so that we Should not be surprised if the effect fof the fatal. policy now adopted by General Chiang Kal-shek and his friends should be the presence of cur troops In China for many genera Mong to come, if not for" ever."
Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.