Japan's Manoeuvres
Japan's policy cannot be developed without regard to the balance of world forces, and one may assume that her Govern- ment receive particularly good information about the progress of the European War. For she has Embassies and Air Attaches in London and Berlin, by collating whose reports, cabled in cipher, they should be able early to form an accurate picture of events like the recent German-British air-battles. These may well cause them to revise their estimate as to who will win the war ; and there is some evidence that they are already doing so. The well-drilled Japanese Press, which was in full cry against Great Britain a fortnight ago, is now reported much gentler towards us. The establishment for the first time of an Australian • Legation at Tokyo and a Japanese Legation at Canberra is not the result of this tendency, but synchronises with and may confirm it. At the same time Japan is obviously' anxious to consolidate her position as quickly as possible at the expense of third parties. Hence the vigorous terroristic air-offensive in China, directed immediately at the civil population. Hence too the preparations to seize French Indo-China. The attitude of the Vichy Government, whose authority and policy have been accepted by the Indo-China Government, renders it diffi- cult and well-nigh impossible for Great Britain to intervene there. Indo-China has strong natural frontiers ; but its native peoples are unwarlike, and the French garrisons on a small scale. Coveted by the Japanese, not only for its wealth and its strategical advantages, but because its climate would favour Japanese immigration, this large area seems likely in a short time to change hands.
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