_2g6	^ONE WORLD :   TWO WARS
Japanese immigrants to their great territories and have obstructed
trade and enterprise.
In the Greater East Asia sphere of mutual prosperity, the en-
deavour is being made to abolish such unnatural restrictions on the
free activities of mankind. It is expected that this endeavour will be
accomplished in so far as possible through peaceful means and with
the least possible undesirable change in the status quo.
Japan's policy towards China forms an important part of the above
endeavour. However, owing to the lack of understanding on the part
of some Chinese people and to the attitude taken by England and
the United States in not recognizing Manchukuo, which gave rise
to Chiang Kai-shek's hope of recovering Manchukuo, an unfortunate
clash of arms broke out. This clash is, in fact, war, and therefore it is
impossible for the Japanese Army during its activities to avoid affect-
ing rights and interests of the powers in China. This is particularly
true when such rights and interests hinder the prosecution of Japan's
war against China. Accordingly, if the effects upon these rights
and interests are to be brought to an end, it is most desirable to
encourage and promote peace between Japan and China. This fact
notwithstanding, the powers are not only checking Japan's actions
through legalistic arguments and treaty pronouncements which have
become inapplicable because of changed conditions, but are also
oppressing Japan through such means as restrictions on the exporta-
tion of important commodities to Japan and at the same time are
giving positive aid to Japan's enemy, the Chiang Kai-shek regime.
These actions spring from hidden motives to keep the Orient under
conditions of disorder as long as possible and to consume Japan's
national strength. We must believe that these actions are not for
the love of peace and are not for the purpose of protecting rights and
interests. Japan concluded a defensive alliance with Germany and
Italy for no other purpose than to resist such pressure from the powers,
and there is not the slightest intention to proceed to attack another
country. If the United States understands the aforementioned
conditions and circumstances and Japan's intentions with regard to
the establishment of a new order in East Asia, there will be no change
whatever in the relationship between Japan and the United States
following the conclusion of the treaty. Japan is determined to settle
all pending questions and to promote and foster friendship with the
United States.
This is the first time, so far as I am aware, that the Japanese Govern-
ment has committed to writing some of the points that frequently
arise in my conversations with Japanese officials of the present regime,
and it is going very much farther than any previous Japanese regime
ever went in calling a spade a spade. Certain salient points are to
be noted:
(a) The " New Order " now embraces Greater East Asia including
the South Seas.