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Region: Commonwealth of Liberty

LodgedFromMessages


Philanialle

      APRIL 1940
      TOKYO, JAPAN — EAST ASIA

        東京とアムステルダムの外交トーク

        DIPLOMATIC TALKS BETWEEN TOKYO AND AMSTERDAM

    | Just watching, Tokyo-Rome-Moscow enjoys WWII on the fence. Japanese showed good and bad signs in the face of this war. Every newspaper in Tokyo carried headlines that read: |

        起こらない唯一の事はオランダのインディーズを恐れる力によって軍隊の行為である。 を参照してください。 または一時的な保護基準にすることもできます。

        “The only thing that won’t happen are military acts by the powers that terrorize the Dutch Indies . . . or even temporary protection criteria.”

    | Japan would undertake to protect the Dutch Indies in such protection. After Japanese newspapers ran their headlines, Mr. HACHIRO ARITA, Foreign Minister, publicly announced to the international press with a certain air of importance: |

        南洋、特にオランダ領東インドに関する限り、経済的には日本帝国はすべての人の利益のために緊密で相互の関係を持っています。 東京は、オランダ領東インドの現状を危うくする可能性のあるヨーロッパで進行中の戦争を強く懸念している

        “As far as the South Seas are concerned, and especially with the Dutch East Indies, economically the Japanese Empire has a close and mutual relationship for the benefit of all. Tokyo is intensely concerned about the ongoing war in Europe, which could compromise the status quo of the Dutch Indies.”

    | In the Dutch capital, Mr. EELCO NICHOLAS VAN KIEFFENS, Dutch Foreign Minister, being a rather thin man with a large nose, small chin, fine hair and tired eyes, invited Mr. ITARO ISHII, Ambassador of Japan to the Netherlands to say a few words: |

        オランダのインド人は保護を必要としませんが、それを提供してくれてありがとう。

        “The Dutch Indies do not need protection, but thanks for offering it.”

    | However, Mr. JEAN CHARLES PABST, Dutch Ambassador to Japan, expressed gratitude to the Japanese Foreign Minister: |

        東インドの現状維持に感謝します。

        “Thank you for maintaining the East Indies status quo.”

    | Those denials weren’t what Mr. Arita would like to hear. In Washington, Mr. CORDELL HULL, U.S. Secretary of State, made a brief comment on the Indies: |

        オランダのインディーズだけでなく、太平洋地域でも安定性、平和、安全性が確保されるため、このことは大きなメリットとなります。 東京とワシントンにはコーディアル関係があります。

        “This will be largely beneficial as there will be stability, peace and security not only in the Dutch Indies but throughout the Pacific. Tokyo and Washington have cordial relations.”

    | But clearly these were just words spoken. For the Japanese the “New Order in Asia” is like the Monroe Doctrine for the Americans. For the world, the East Indies are the most valuable in terms of resources such as rubber and oil production. The Empire of Japan acquires about one-quarter of the Dutch colony’s oil. Exports from the East Indies are sugar, coffee, quinine, tobacco, copra, spices, livestock, wood, coal, tin, gold and silver that the Japanese can use. The large local population is a cheap labor for Japanese companies. If any nation took over this huge basin of precious resources, Tokyo would only be harmed. The loss of East Indies oil would result in a possible U.S. embargo, it would be horrible for the Japanese. But on the one hand, if the Japanese Empire took the East Indies, the New Order of Japan would come to fruition, the Japanese could even threaten Washington with a rubber and tin embargo. Where Tokyo would also have islands that would facilitate the attack on Singapore. The Japanese Empire would separate Hong Kong, Indochina, Philippines from the West. |

    | Such a careless man is Herr Heidler, when he invaded the Netherlands he put ahead of Japan the chance to invade the East Indies — it looked like Herr Heidler might — could Japan have that chance? Possibly yes. Both Great Britain and France will only be able to intervene to a limited extent. According to American experts, who consider the Philippines an unsustainable region for a war, it is practically impossible for a fleet stationed in the Pacific to worry about fighting the invasion of the East Indies. America is too far from Asia for them to defend the Dutch colony. Japan now undoubtedly believes strongly in this perspective when Herr Heidler believed that British “pacification” could take place. The East India Army is reduced to a police force for the sole purpose of maintaining order among the natives. The Dutch navy would not be able to repel the Japanese fleet for a long period of time, although the invaders foolishly attacked far from home. The Japanese fleet is more prepared for war than the Imperial Army. If the U.S. Secretary of State’s warning is just an illusion, and some observers hope that Japan will one day stop causing crises when there are no police around. If that happens, the angry cop will be the U.S. — as the West knows, Japan considers the Pacific its focus. |

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