Washington, Apr. 3.
Japan holds the "key" to the world's future as a result of the German-British rift, which appeared likely to precipitate a new balance of power, in which the Uniced States would be importuned to join, some diplomatic observers believed here today.
They believed that Japan, with vast armies schooled in war and a huge naval construction programme may be forced to choose between allegiance to the Rome-Berlin axis and diplomatic independence.
Japan's entry into a Rome-Berlin-Tokyo military axis would produce a combination so powerful that most other countries would be constrained toward a common diplomatic purpose for their own safety, the observers pointed out. If Japan remains independent, however, they said she might be able to prevent a swift crystallization of the two great blocs.
Some experts believe Japan is strong enough to play an unfettered role in world politics, bargaining not only for her own national aims but conceivably for restored order in the Far East.
The obvious interest of the United States in Japan's alignment or nonalignment would be determined by the degree to which Japan might become a party to worldwide "power politics" and effect her position in the control of the Pacific—United Press,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.