Today, the first anniversary of the signing of the Tripartite Pact with Germany and Italy, will be modestly celebrated in Japan, where the Press declare that the day will be a deeply significant one. 115 claim, however. that Japan has benefitted by it, and that the Japanese Government should make greater efforts towards strengthening Axis relations, and the construction of new orders in Europe and East Asia will be regarded with a great degree of scepticism. So also will the further statement that Germany and Italy have recognized Japan as the dominant Power in East Asia, whereas the Democratic Powers have not. That statement is true, but, realizing the policies of Hitler and Mussolini, it is perfectly plain that they have made that recognition merely to suit their own purposes, and that there may be nó greater quality of permanence about it than there have been in be mally of their other commitments. Hitler would do anything toget Japan into this war on his side, but whether Japan would get anything out of an Axis victory is entirely another matter.
"Wherein Japan has benefited from aligning herself with the Axis it is more an difficult to see. If the permeation throughout the whole of Japan of German fifth columnists is to be regarded as such, then it must be that the Japanese Press is easily satis led. The fact is that Japan through their intrigue is being just as deeply influenced ab other countries unfortunate enough to be rather closer to Germany, and the fact is that she is being subjected to precisely the same treatment as the Balkan Countries and Iraq and Iran. Through their influence with the military extremists a tension has been brought about in the Pacific which need never have arisen. Japan has been persuaded to adopt policies which have &lienated the friendships of Great Britain and the United States and led to developments Which have rendered the economic situation of the country worse than at any time in It may possibly become even more tragic should the cownbeis. o! the fifth s continue to prevail, while if they in involving Japan in warfare the results may be catastrophic for her. As it is, at the present time Japan is actually losing by her adherence to the Axis. The reduction of her export trade must be costing her millions of yen monthly, and she can only stop that by taking the only step wich will serve her interests, namely, entirely disassociating herself from the Axis. Her shipping is laid up, her best markets are closed to her and all because a few extremists influenced by Germans believe that Germany will dominate the Allies in a few months. That she is most unlikely to do.
It has been pointed out before, but the fact needs to be emphasized, that the economic interests of Germany and Japan, two highly industrialized countries are directly opposed. If the Japanese Government think, for one moment, tbat jin. the avent. of.an. Axis victory they would have exelüsive recourse {0 riches of the Netherlands East Indies they are greatly mistaken. German industries would require the raw rhaterial from that area just as much as would Japan, and it is obvious from that fact that Japan's interests would best be served by an Allied victory, and the opening of all the raw material markets of the world with equal opportunity for every country to purchase what it needs. Nor must Japan's success in taking over Indo-China be attributed in any way to her adherence to the Axis. The latter gave her no assistance whatever, and the condition of the defences of the former French colony clearly indicate that Japan could taxe taken it whether France had remained fighting beside Great Britain, or whether she had not. Indo-China, it now transpires, was completely defenceless and could not have resisted a Japanese invasion.
Signature of the Tripartite Pact by Japan meant her entrance into an unholy and completely.unprofitable alliance; unholy because of the complete betrayal of Japan's best interests by weaning her away from those two great countries who could be her best friends, and unprofitable because Japan can expect no benefits from it whatever, but probably very severe disadvantages. It may very well be that in the long run the Japanese will come to regard this anniversary with grief rather than rejoicing. to regret the policy which they have been following in recent years and to wish to retrace her steps. That last is still open to them. Mo one denies for one moment the special position Japan occupies in the Far Fast. To do so would be to ignore the implications of her geographical position and the advantages it gives her, but what is/denied is that they have any right whatever to interfere with the rights and interests of third party neutrals, or to embark upon a policy of expansion which would further damage them.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.