"Lo Temps" Says Tokyo Reluctant to Be Dragged Into World Conflict; Recent Despatch Significant Lyons, Mar. 29.
Japan is'opposed to -an of ihe present world con-fiot as far as she herself is concerned isthe view expressed in a leading article published today by "Lo Temps," commenting on the visit to Europe of Mr. Yosuke Matsuoka, the Japanese Foreign Minister.
"One may safely surmise that so long as her conflict with China still continues, Japan is' desirous of avoiding an extension of the conflict into which she "herself may, be dragged," "Lo Temps' added.
"An indication of this may be seen in the recent communication despatched to London by Mr. Matsuoka which was freely and widely interpreted as a Japanese offer df mediation. This. offer was at the time formally denied by Berlin, Rome and Tokyo itself. One. must also keep in mind the declaration made last Tuesday in Vienna by the Foreign Minister of Germany whereby Germany's main aim is to localize the war, and recalling that so far the Reich has not asked any power to come to her assistance in her war against Great Britain."
Commenting further on Mr. Matsuoka's trip to Eürope, the. newspaper asserted that Clause 3'of the Tripartite Pact, providing for mu-tua] assistance between the; signatories in the event of a third power intervening either in the West or in the For East, was the main topic discussed by the Japanese Foreign, very sitmifiemt, the news! paper concluded, that this clause. is Mirected at both the United States. and Turkey, and that Mr. Matsuoka decided to make his trip to Europe following the adoption of the Lend-Havas. a Lease Bill by the U.S, Congress
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.