General Tojo's Claims
Some of the claims made by General Tojo, the Japanese Prime Minister, in a review of the war before the Japanese Diet, are true, and cannot be ignored by the Allies. It is a fact that important natural resources of what he called " the world's greatest treasure house " are now in Japan's hands, though she may lack the technical means and the shipping to exploit them fully or sufficiently transport them. She has access to rich supplies of rubber, tin and cinchona which have been lost to us. She is in possession of numerous and advantageously situated air bases for the control of the Western Pacific. In view of the fact that the longer she has to make use of these gains the stronger she will be, it cannot be said of the Pacific war that time is on our side. It is a matter of great importance to regain as soon as possible key islands in the Pacific whose possession is so useful to the enemy. But in many respects the Japanese have not gained. They are very far from having endeared themselves to those whom they came to liberate or to unite within their co-prosperity sphere. Those among the Burmese who were discontented under British rule have been completely disillusioned about the meaning of Japanese friendship, and the Filipinos are unlikely to respond to the General's appeal to them to "co-operate in the creation of a common Lebensraum." The Japanese have proved no more successful than the Nazis in con- ciliating the people who live in occupied territory, and in this respect their deeds have been their worst propaganda.
