Tokyo, Apr. 22. ISPOSAL of the China war should take precedence over any attempts to advance southward or create a Greater East Asia Ca-prosperity sphere, declared Mr, Takanobu Murobuse, eminent local political commentator, at a forum held here under the auspices of the newspaper "Miyako." He urged Japan not to, "depend in any degree on the unseen results of the European war," as at present there was no telling which side would win in the long run.
Mr, Murobuse went so far in the course of the debate og to say. that any. Cabinet which had no confidence that it could. dispose of the China hostilities successfully had better alesolve itself quickly, "ome people in this country," the commentator declared, "seem to. be of opinion that the China conflict 1s aimore side show of the great drama of creating the Greater East Asia prosperlly: Sphere, and that a certain degree of success' in this. magnificent project will automatically bring the hostilities to a conclusion, "itis may be true, theoretically speaking, but when viewed In: ight of grim reality, this kind of tall loses ts glory and charm at once, Instat, therefore, that. Japan mist hurl its whole Wight into' the solution of the China affair, Japan Independent undoubtedly, developments of the European war Wwill affect the war in Asia to a great extent, I would not deny that," But Japan is not China nor a little nation in the Balkans Which must rely for the maintenance of ts independence and territorial integrity upon some strong Power or another, Therefore, I see no reason Why a strong and large country like Japan should look timidly this way and that before stepping out boldly
lying Chungking regime, deliver the coup de race 10 the 'For the disposal of the China affair, and all other issues originating in Bast Asia, Japan should take its own stand, afd do whatever it thinks right and' proper, In my opinion, there {s not a sing!
in the world today which e the Japan~ ese mi Paeifle, So Tong as the navy remains as it is, Japan can surely dispose of any issue inthe Orient without the help of other nations, and without depending fon the results of the European war, "tt ig all very well for the Go ernment to trumpet Southward Ho!
14. to harangue on the Greater East Asia Ca-prosperity Sphere, but it must solve the China affair before making any effort to turn the eyes the nation from China tothe South Strength Must Be Saved Tokyo Newspapers Taud Matsuoka Tokyo, Apr. 22.
While Tokyo awaited the return of the Foreign Minister, Mr. Yosuke Matsuola, " metropolitan "newspapers editorially confined their praise to hiis achievements in Europe.
Said the "Asahi," "The greatest harvest of Mtr, Matsuoka's trip was the signing of the Soviet-Japanese neutrality Pact" adding that it was the Foreign Minister's "sincerity and franicness* that moved Josef Stalin to conclude the pact.
"To.put it point blank, the treaty Is the basic prerequisite for the conclusion of the China Conflict," said the "Asahi," while the "Nichi-Nichi" looked for an early settlement. of problems outstanding with French Indo-China and the Netherlands Eaat An ominous warning was sounded by the "Nicht-nichi" which said, "It the altitudes of French Indo-China and the Netherlands East Indies lack ood faith, we must think of a dip-Toma offensive to meet the sits The editorial added that a settle-mont of these problems had a "deep connection" with the conclusion of the China Cent, Also looking to, the future, the "Kokumin" remarked, there would be no meaning to welcoming Me. Matsuoka back if the Japanese people only offered him "blessings," Dointing out that the significance of welcome was found in the people's "hopes for the future of Mr. Matsuoka's efforts to settle the dip-Jomatie problems facing Japan."
Meanwhile, the "Btiyako" expressed the hope that Me. Matsuoka's live diplomacy: would not be killed in the hands" of bureaucratic conferences; that were "the mother of scepticism, but "not the "mother of action Domei.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.