The Voice of the Generals Simultaneously a document issued by
the War Office in Tokyo, apparently without either the consent or the approval of other departments of the Government, discloses very frankly the views of the militarists on Japan's external relations. Japan's peril on the mainland of Asia, and her responsibility for the defence of Manchukuo, are cited as reasons for a tripling of the Japanese air-force and a considerable expansion in military expenditure. An increase in naval expenditure as a result of next year's Naval Conference. is taken for granted, and Mr. Yamamoto, passing through Seattle in the course of a mission to European States, has mentioned again that Japan will no doubt denounce the existing Washington Treaty. Her avowed object, to ban offensive types. of . vessel . and concentrate on de-! fensive types, will not be easily realized, for the distinction is not easy to draw, not all the other parties to the Treaty would' accept it if it were, and the arrangement would leave Japan complete mistress of the Western Pacific, and consequently by so much the freer to do what she will on the mainland.
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