HATOYAMA IN AGAIN
co-operation would seem to indicate that public opinion is now determined, if not to move out of the American orbit, at any rate to reinain there on Japan's own terms. Mr. Hatoyama's policy of cautious rapprochement with the Communist bloc is certainly in accordance with Japan's economic needs, which require warkets in China, and his realism in this respect seems to have won him votes. On the other hand, the elections have left an insufficient Right-wing majority in the Diet for the revision of the Constitution which would be necessary to per- mit Japanese rearmament; and, since there is already in exist- ence a 'defence establishment' sufficient for the internal security of the country, Mr. Hatoyama will probably decide that dis- cretion is the better part of valour and not proceed with his declared intention of carrying out a full rearmament pro- gramme. Indeed, it is difficult to see how the present economic position of Japan would allow of considerable expenditure on defence. The Communists were unsuccessful in these elections, winning only two seats in spite of a strenuous effort, but this situation might change radically if there were to be widespread hardship as a consequence of rearmament. Some of the Social- ist gains were, in fact, due to their plugging of the rearmament issue. 'In again-out again Hatoyama' is living up to the more cheerful side of his nickname at the moment.
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