Tokyo, Mar. 19, Growing Japanese scepticism regarding the possibility of a Russo-Japant ese rapprochement was reflected today in an editorial appearing in the Japan "Times" which frequently re-fleets the attitude of the Japanese Foreign Office, The paper said that despite intense Japanese negotiations with the Soviet Union during the past six months, the major problems between the two nations not only had not Been settled, but there is at present no prospect for their peaceful settlemeht.
"Té paper said that a non-aggression pact between Russia and Japan is "without doubt out of the question" bécáuse OF tHe present state of relations between the two nations, Reviewing recent Japanese efforts to reach a settlement with Russia on various problems facing the two countries, the paper said the results had been "far from what was expected,"
"No progress has been made trade parleys," the paper pointed out, "A mixed committee of Japan and: Manchoukuo on the one hand and Russia and Mongolia.on the other hahd was appointed to settle reial demarcations around Nomonhati. This came to nothing and Wound up its business at the end of January, "All border questions remain unsettled. With regard to the demarcation all along the Soviet-Manchoukuo frontiers, the two countries agreed in principle to set up a committee and enter into negotiations, But nothing further has been done."
The paper said there appeared to be a "deliberate effort somewhere to put a stick into the wheel of Japanese diplomacy."
The paper denied reports that current negotiations between Japan and Russia were concerned with obtaining Rugsia's agreement to discontinue her aid to the Chungking Government. Japan also is not seeking a pact during these the paper said, The paper said that from the Japanese point of view the settlement of all pending questions between Japan and Russia is the condition for a broader adjustment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.—
United Press,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.