Following for the Prime Minister.

Telegram No. 5 to Canberra of 20th January from His Majesty's
Ambassador at Tokyo. [1]

JAPAN
The Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs in an interview with
Australian journalists on 17th January stated that the Japanese
'expansion to the south' would be peaceful and economic; no
conquest of oppression or exploitation; and that everyone must
participate in the economic developments of these regions. In
reply to a question, Mr. Matsuoka stated-'when we speak of
expansion southwards, we use the term in general sense: by "these
regions" I mean the East Indies, Thailand, Burma and Indo China.'
His Majesty's Ambassador believes this to be the first time a
responsible Japanese statesman has publicly included Burma in the
area of southward expansion. To pass over such a statement in
silence would, in his view, only have been regarded as a sign of
weakness in Tokyo and he accordingly raised the matter with Mr.

Matsuoka on the 23rd January.

The latter's reply was vague and lengthy and may be summarized as
follows-'Japan's objective was to assist in peaceful and mainly
economic developments of those regions in East Asia he had
mentioned. She feels that at present she does not enjoy equality
of economic opportunity in Burma and she seeks to obtain this and
also if possible rational treatment. When the expression
"leadership in Greater East Asia" is used, reference is made
solely to spiritual and intellectual leadership.'
His Majesty's Ambassador observed that the use of the word
'expansion' to describe this vague aspiration was bound to arouse
hostility and resentment in countries which felt their interests
to be threatened and that mention of British Territory in this
connection was strongly to be deprecated, however inoffensive
Japanese intentions might be. Mr. Matsuoka was however
unrepentant.