Tokyo, Apr. 1.
Tokyo reacted calmly and coolly to the declaration made by the US. Secretary of State, Mr. Cordell Hull, when he said that his country would continue to ize the Chungking Government e only Government of China. I admitted, however, that Mr. Hull's statement was stronger than expected.
Japan's cool reaction is probably the result of the relentless Government and press campaign aiming at persuading the Japanese public that Japan is no longer interested in anything America does or thinks about the Far East. This campaign has been continuing ever since the United States denounced the treaty of commerce and navigation of 1911.
Many foreign observers here believe that Mr. Hull's statement, instead of causing Japan to soft-pedal her policy, will only be taken by the Government as one more opportunity to strengthen the people in their determination never to accept being stopped by any Western Power but rather to face the economic and other perils which such a stubborn decision may entail.
Japanese circles closely connected with the Tokyo Government are of the opinion that the United States is more and more estranged from France and Great Britain as far as Far Eastern polities are concerned. They hint that Mr. Hull's blow has been deadened by the conciliatory speech delivered a few days ago by Sir Robert Craigie, the British Ambassador to Japan. London and Paris, they assert, are not reacting too favourably to Mr. Hull's statement. Their conclusion is that on the whole, the situation for Japan is not such a bad one, for much diplomatic manoeuvring is still possible, with Washington on one side and with Paris and London on the other.—Havas, of the coastline, the Japanese are still confronted with enormous difficulties.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.