Japan, the industrial supergiant of the Orient, is once again determined to build an empire. Japan's approach is far different from that which led to World War II. Read this surprising report on Japan's strategy and the prophesied outcome!
JAPAN is again on the march! The latest offensive has already driven further than Japan's military efforts did a quarter of a century ago! Japanese weapons today are not military but economic. Japan has launched a three-pronged offensive of trade, aid, and investment. The very same battle plan Germany is now using to succeed in dominating Europe, where formerly the Blitzkrieg method failed.
Japan's Lifeline
Japan's economic survival depends upon trade. Lacking almost all natural resources necessary to support a modern industrial economy, Japan is forced to import 100% of its cotton, wool, rubber, and bauxite; 98.5% of its crude oil; 95.3% of its iron ore; 85% of its copper; 81.6% of its wheat; 80% of its sugar, and 75% of its zinc. Japan is hungry for raw materials. She is devouring an ever-increasing supply from nearly every nation on earth. Iron ore comes to Japan from Chile, Malaysia, India, Peru, and South Africa; steel scrap from the United States; non-ferrous metals from the Philippines; crude oil from the Middle East and Russia; lumber from Alaska; pulp from Canada; rubber from Malaysia; cotton from Mexico and the United States; wool from Australia; sugar from China and Cuba. These are only a few of the many countries feeding Japan's burgeoning industry. Japanese owned businesses in foreign nations are on the increase. The vanguard of this economic offensive is composed of industrious and energetic young Japanese who operate everything from an iron mine in Siberia to a vinyl plant in Nicaragua and the largest fertilizer plant in the world in Korea — just to mention a few. Japan trades with every continent on earth into the billion dollar bracket, with import-export values rising 15% every year!
Assault on the United States
In Anchorage, Alaska, a local resident said wistfully, "If you really want to develop Alaska fast, you'll cede it to Japan. The Japanese would be swarming all over this place in no time, and getting stuff out at a mile a minute." This statement appeared in the Wall Street Journal, December 2, 1966, referring to Japan's "long term peaceful assault on the resource-rich 49th state." In 1965 Japan took 80% of Alaska's exports — mainly lumber. Japanese purchasers have bought more than a billion board feet of lumber from Washington, Oregon, and California alone each year since 1965 — at a growth rate of 32.6% each year! Japan is now the largest cash buyer of American agricultural products! According to Japanese Ambassador to the United States, Ryuji Takeuchi, these figures are expected to double between 1965 and 1970, and triple by 1975! The United States now stands in the position of the number one source supplying the needs of modern Japan.
Australia — Number Two Supplier
The Crown Colony of Australia has also snubbed Britain in favor of Japan. "Japan has become the world's leading importer of Australian products, outranking the United Kingdom and pulling away swiftly month by month." (Asia Scene, October, 1967, p. 48) Japan imports more from Australia than any other Asian nation! Former Prime Minister Harold Holt credited the upsurge of Australian trade to, "The marriage of our own raw material primary production to Japan's enormous industrial potential." In 1957, trade between the two countries was practically nil! From a situation of mutual independence, the two countries have reached a state of almost total interdependence. "It would be impossible today to reverse the course of Japanese-Australian relations without doing enormous damage to the economies of both countries." (Sydney Morning Herald, April 17, 1967) As an example of how new this trade alliance is, consider iron ore. Until 1966, Australia exported No iron ore at all to Japan. In 1967 the Japanese took half the entire output, and have contracts for two-thirds of Australian production by 1972. Much the same is happening with coal. Japanese mill operators know that there are billions of tons of iron ore in the Australian hills. And they mean to get it out! Japanese shipping interests have scheduled construction of 14 new 30,000 to 50,000-ton ore carriers and12 new 50,000-ton-or-more carriers just to transport ore from Australia. Japanese rush in where Britons fear to tread! "Are the Japanese taking over Australia?" asks William Davis in Asia Scene. "The answer is NO, but they would like to." (Asia Scene, December 1967, p. 14)
Asia — Primary Target
Most people have totally forgotten about Japan's so-called "Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere" of the 1930's. It was Japan's attempt to mask its military conquests under the guise of economic unity. In early 1967, Japan announced its modern version — the "Asian Pacific (Trade) Community." The ultimate objective is the same — a guaranteed source of supply for critical raw materials and eventually political-military domination of all Asia. However, the Japanese have wisely learned from the mistakes of World War II and are not resorting to military methods to guarantee this supply of raw materials. It is presently being done through economic and diplomatic channels. Japan's present approach is to make friends, not enemies, of those nations in Asia that she needs. However, Japan hopes ultimately to exercise political control of these nations in the formation of an Asiatic alliance. Japan today has largely achieved the prosperity and range of influence which was the purpose of the "Greater Asia Co-prosperity Sphere" which she sought to create a generation ago by force of arms. Japan is wooing more nations than she ever dreamed of thirty years ago. Tokyo has launched its own version of the Peace Corps to win the common people of Asia. Tokyo has raised its foreign aid budget to $600,000,000 a year, formed the "Tokyo Club" of Asian creditors, spearheaded the Asian Development Bank, and launched ASPAC — the political union called Asian and Pacific Council. Osaka, Japan's second largest city, is busily preparing for Expo '70, a greater Asian world's fair. Workers are building housing, electrical, and sewer systems to accommodate a city of 300,000 people. Advertisements for the fair saturate the Asian continent, even appearing on backs of cigarette packs! The Japanese Industrial Exposition in the Philippines just finished its two-week stay in Manila (March 2-17, 1968). It featured 180 elaborate booths displaying the finest of Japanese wares to these islands of "Greater Asia." Trade with the Philippines has grown 92% since 1960, and is soon to pass the $600,000,000 mark. Twenty-seven percent of all Philippines' imports are Japanese, and a four-year pact signed by the two nations (1967-1970) promises to increase that rate steadily. Thirty Japanese Peace Corps members operate there, in addition to hundreds of Japanese government workers. Japan secured a foothold in Asia as early as 1947, when Japanese war reparations were paid to Asian nations in terms of Japanese materials, manpower, and construction work. In the process, the Japanese gained firsthand knowledge of the trade needs of every nation in Asia. Now, twenty-three years after the war, Japan is angling for formation of an Asian-Pacific economic bloc. This bloc would encompass 30 to 40 percent of the world's trade! Japan desperately needs Asia, but Asia also needs Japan! The underdeveloped nations of Asia look more and more to the industrial power of Japan for help. Japan has promised to grant $1,089,000,000 of long-term credit to Asia — that is 87% of all Japanese foreign credit. Percentage of trade with Asia has constantly grown each year, while percentage of trade with other continents has remained the same or diminished. Total trade in Asia topped $5,564,000, 000 in 1966, $6.4 billion in 1967, and an expected $7.5 billion in 1968. Slowly but surely the Asian sphere is rallying around Japanese progress, projects, and production. For example, Japan has now consolidated her lead as Formosa's Number 1 buyer and seller, with the United States well back in second place. A Tokyo newspaper reported, "Indonesia has asked Japan to provide about one-third of its $320,000,000 aid requirements for 1968." Indonesia has long wanted to say "Yankee Go Home," but they coveted U.S. aid. Now Asia can have its financial support without the U.S. — from Japan. Asian shopping centers are aglow with signs advertising Japanese products. Asians commute on Japanese buses, cars and motorcycles. They wear Japanese made clothing. They tell time by Japanese watches. They drink Japanese beer. They shop in Japanese department stores featuring Japanese made goods. On a larger scale, Japanese government officials and private businessmen spend hundreds of millions annually in foreign aid development programs. Aggressive Japanese businessmen operate steel mills and tire plants in Malaysia, automobile plants in Thailand, fertilizer plants in Korea, lumber industries in the Philippines, oil fields in Indonesia, and electronics industries in Taiwan.
Britain Out — Japan IN
In Singapore, where Japanese firms now control one quarter of all investments, Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew gives this advice to visiting British businessmen, "Be aggressive! Be like the Japanese!" But the British aren't aggressive like the Japanese. In January 1968, Britain made her historic abandonment of the Empire east of Suez. Japan was quick to fill the void. A press correspondent wrote from Tokyo, shortly after Britain's withdrawal, "When Britain beats her retreat from the East, Japan will emerge as the only logical contender to fill the power vacuum — and she is unlikely to miss such a matchless opportunity to expand her political and economic influence. "Within five, or at the most, ten years," continues the report, "Japan will dominate the Orient's trade absolutely and be the East's unquestioned political leader... Britain's calendar of retreat is most fortuitously timed for Japan." China's internal problems have also contributed to the political vacuum in Asia. The Japanese Foreign Ministry has announced, "There is not time to lose in launching the new mission because the Red Guard has unexpectedly weakened China's power in Asia, with Indonesia's link to Peking shattered, a large opening for fresh enterprise suddenly appears."
Even Red China Dependent on Japan
Up until the end of 1967, Communist China's leading trade partner was Japan! More than 623 million dollars of trade was the annual commerce between these two nations. Next to the United States and Australia, Japan traded most with Red China. However, during the autumn of 1967 the Chinese Communists turned a cold shoulder to Japan with the intention of punishing Premier Sato for his pro-western tour of Asia and the United States. They switched their markets to Europe in an attempt to economically boycott Japan. This move proved financially disastrous to China instead of hurting Japan. It took the Chinese only three short months to run up a $326.6 million trade deficit. China quickly learned that she had little to sell that the Europeans wanted. The Chinese were forced to realize that THEY NEEDED JAPAN MORE THAN JAPAN NEEDED THEM! In mid-January, 1968, Chou En-Lai of Red China humbly expressed the hope that the China-Japan Trade Agreement which expired in 1967 could be renewed. Japan is rapidly becoming the real POWERHOUSE of Asia — to which even Red China must look!
Japanese-Soviet Trade
Last November 10th, the Soviet Union and Japan concluded a major agreement for a joint natural gas refining project in Siberia and on the island of Sakhalin. Under the new agreement, Japan would develop the natural gas resources with plants both in Siberia and Japan. The Japanese would provide the managerial personnel and sales distribution to the eastern European countries by means of the Russian owned Trans-Siberian Railways. Trade between Japan and the Communist east European satellite nations has grown 33 percent over the past year. Presently, Japan is planning to build a direct rail line between the Sea of Japan and Eastern Europe! In February, 1968, Nikolai Baibakov, Soviet Deputy Premier, visited Japan in hopes of persuading the Japanese to develop the timber and mineral resources of Siberia.
Nuclear Blackmail
Now look at Japanese-U.S. relations. Strong pressure was recently brought on Prime Minister Sato by the Japanese people as well as the Okinawans themselves for the return of Okinawa to Japanese control. When Prime Minister Sato visited President Johnson in Washington last November, he was denied his request. He was told that as long as the Vietnam War continues, Okinawa and the nearby Bonins are too vital to the United States because of the U.S. military bases on them. Later, the United States set in motion the diplomatic machinery to return the Bonins to Japan and also promised to set a date for the return of Okinawa within three years, pending the course of the Vietnamese war. The Japanese people do not want to wait! Consistent pressure, frequent demonstrations and repeated petitions forced Premier Sato to make a very significant compromise deal with the Japanese public last December. Up until recently the Japanese people have shown a fanatical aversion and fear of nuclear weapons. The public will protest and students will demonstrate every time Japan considers building a nuclear plant, storing nuclear weapons, expanding a nuclear defense fleet, or even harboring a nuclear-powered ship such as the U.S.S. Enterprise. A recent poll by the Tokyo Observer revealed that only 8.9 percent of the populace wanted Japan to have nuclear arms. While Sato knows the power of the public, he also knows Japan must possess a nuclear defense system — ostensibly for protection from Communist China and Russia. Premier Sato's compromise of mid-December, 1967 was stated as follows: "People of Japan, I will go to work to return the island of Okinawa to Japan, if you will accept the idea of nuclear arms expansion in Japan." One of the inferences drawn from Premier Sato's statement is that Japan expects the return of Okinawa when U.S. nuclear defenses there become unnecessary, or when Japan is ready to supply them. His specific aim is to meet public opinion head on regarding the issue of nuclear weapons. He is striving to create a change in political opinion in Japan sufficient to permit the impossible — the return of Okinawa to Japan with the United States' nuclear bases intact. Pakeo-Fukuda, leader of the opposition Liberal-Democratic Party, and most likely successor to Sato, has said: "Japan must get away from the nuclear allergy." The statements of both Sato and Fukuda were published under big headlines in Tokyo. Significantly there were no public demonstrations and no opposition in Parliament. A major change in public opinion in Japan toward the ultimate possession of nuclear weapons is under way. Okinawa has thus become the political lever by which the Japanese people are being forced into accepting Japan's future role as a self-sufficient nuclear power.
U.S. Pushing Japan to Become Nuclear Power
Though it is against Japan's constitution to maintain any land, sea, or air forces, yet Japan maintains a standing army of more than 250,000 men (each one is considered to be officer material), 30,000 reserves, dozens of powerful Nike-Hercules and Hawk missiles, 7 nuclear power plants and a full-fledged Department of Defense. An annual Self-Defense Forces Day is held every November 1st. Washington officials frankly admit that they expect Japan to develop a big military establishment to assist the U.S. in Asian power politics. One Tokyo observer stated that the United States has no other alternative but to push Japan toward eventually becoming a THERMONUCLEAR POWER. Japan's uranium trade with Australia has been increasing. Robert A. Scalapino, an authority on Japan at the University of California, wrote recently, "For the next five or six years, Japan will develop her space and nuclear programs in such a fashion as to make convertibility for defense purposes possible on the quickest, easiest, and cheapest basis should the necessity arise." Significantly enough, this is the same method used to convert seemingly peacefully oriented heavy industry into full-scale production of war equipment practically overnight prior to World War II!
Japan, a Friend?
Why should the U.S. worry? Isn't Japan an ally and friend of the West? Wouldn't Japanese nuclear power stand as a bulwark against Communism? Wouldn't the emergence of Japan as a nuclear power actually help the United States and Australia by assuming the role of peace-keeper in Asia? Despite popular belief, Japan is not permanently committed to a pro-Western position. America has foolishly followed the policy of assuming that the peoples of Germany and Japan can be converted to the virtues of Democracy in less than a generation. Though both nations are ostensibly utilizing the Democratic form of government — enforced upon them by the United States — neither has been "converted" to Democracy. Both the Japanese and Germans are willing, for the present, to put up with their so-called Democratic form of government — until some serious internal crisis is precipitated. "The Japanese people do not know the meaning of the word Democracy" said Yukio Ozaki, former mayor of Tokyo and one of Japan's greatest parliamentarians. Most people have forgotten that Democracy was rejected by the people of Japan in the 1930's. Japan tolerates her present form of government as long as it is economically expedient. If the time were ever to come — and it will come — that the Japanese could not feed off of American aid, we would witness a remarkable change in attitude toward the United States. Friendship would quickly evaporate.
Trade War Ahead?
The gathering storm clouds of trade war are already on the horizon. There are growing grumblings against U.S. trade restrictions. Retaliation is being hinted at. Kokoro Uemura, vice-president of the Federation of Economic Organizations, warned that Japan "would not buy farm products from the United States" if U.S. trade protection bills were enacted into law. Kazupaka Kikawada, president of Toyko Electric Power Company, added, "The U.S. will face retaliatory measures from Japan and many of its other friends." Ryokichi Minobe, mayor of Tokyo, warned, "Japan's present monopoly-dominated economic and political system contains the seed of Fascism... I was in Berlin when Hitler emerged. When small enterprises here face similar situations they will support Fascism." "All that is needed to start pressure building to a similar explosion [as was seen in the nationalism of World War II] is a new issue that can engender enough anger to enable those with the political know-how to step in and manipulate it to suit their purposes" (James Cary, Japan Today; Reluctant Ally). Despite their high literacy rate, the Japanese are stirred more through an emotional, rather than intellectual, appeal. Cary estimates that 90 percent of the student demonstrations have no political reasons but are motivated by sheer emotion. There is no greater proof of this fact than Japan's newest radical religious movement — Soka Gakkai.
Soka Gakkai
Despite the fact that the vast majority of Japanese claim to belong to some form of organized religion, there is in reality a definite religious vacuum in Japan today. Japanese historian Kazuo Kasahara of Tokyo University estimates that 70 percent of the Japanese are totally indifferent to religion. Buddhism is a dead religion, tainted with vice and corruption, totally out of touch with the modern world. Competition and religious in-fighting have shattered the confused Buddhists in the more than 3,000 different sects! Buddhism's powerlessness is widely known to most people in Japan. As a result, many people have become disillusioned and are abandoning the mainstream of Buddhism and joining a dynamic new "lay organization" at a record rate. This new organization is called Soka Gakkai (value-creation society), which was founded in 1930 and now claims approximately 20 million members and a fantastic growth rate of 200,000 new converts per month. While these estimates may be somewhat exaggerated, no one can deny the fact that this new movement is saturating Japan and growing astronomically. Though it claims to be Buddhist, Soka Gakkai is more than just another Buddhist sect. It combines both religion and politics. Its political arm is called Komeito, which presently holds 20 seats in the 250-seat House of Counselors and 25 seats in the 486-seat Lower House. Despite the small representation, it is presently the third largest party in Japan, and the fastest growing of all. Don't forget — Nazism had an identical beginning in prewar Germany. Militant organization and rabid participation characterize the Soka Gakkai crusade. Thousands of meetings are held throughout Japan every night. Rallies, torchlight parades, concerts, athletic tournaments, and religious classroom studies are commonly sponsored by and heavily attended by Soka Gakkai followers. Rabid proselytizing is the keynote of the phenomenal growth of Soka Gakkai. It is reported that every new initiate must be responsible for personally adding two new converts each month or forfeit his membership in the organization. Soka Gakkai members are "persuading" fellow Japanese to join their glorious movement by Shakuburu, the Japanese term for a never-say-die method of religious intimidation and persuasion. Financial failure, mental upset, and constant harassment by Shakuburu are just a few of the curses that are threatened to come upon those who do not bend the knee. The Shinshuren, the Japanese equivalent of the National Council of Churches, is strongly opposing Soka Gakkai, publicly warning: "It is possible that Soka Gakkai may take the dangerous steps which the Nazis took in the past." Definitely this is a movement that bears close watching.
Japanese Counterfeit "Kingdom of God"
The confessed ambition of Soka Gakkai is to convert Japan and then the world. It "would like to be the one religion in Japan," says historian Kazuo Kasahara. This daring new movement is promising the world an AGE of PEACE — a pseudo-millennium — Japanese style. This new age is called Kosen-Rufu or the Third Civilization. This new civilization spoken of in such glowing terms at Soka Gakkai rallies will be replete with material luxuries and international prosperity as well as the spiritual blessings of Buddhism. The President of Soka Gakkai stated in a youth rally on November 19th, 1967, "Our sacred cause must never be defeated. We cannot retreat even a single step. If our great mission of world peace and individual happiness is defeated, this will no doubt mean disaster. The happiness, prosperity, and harmony so desired by all mankind will be destroyed." He continued, "Soka Gakkai has stood alone and has challenged all forces of evil. All that we have done is for the sake of saving Japan and the people of the world from falling into the pit of Hell." Once again we are strangely reminded of the Nazi promise of German peace during a "Thousand Year Reich." Soka Gakkai is also intent on enforcing world peace — Soka Gakkai style. It claims to be the one true religion, the only hope of bringing world peace. There is now reaching maturity in Japan, as in West Germany, a new generation which is less willing than its parents to wear the sackcloth of the 1945 defeat. Those Japanese who were in their infancy or yet unborn in 1945 have no war guilt. They do not know the bitter fruits of Japanese nationalism. They are unwilling to listen to the voice of experience. These are the people, mainly young adults under thirty, who are being converted to Soka Gakkai. In the final analysis, Soka Gakkai is nothing more than a subtle form of religious nationalism — or, in other words, Fascism.
United Asia in Prophecy
"The prime desire for most Asians... is to write 'Yankee Go Home' on every wall... we are trying to build a substitute for the United States — a UNITED STATES OF ASIA — that's our dream now," wrote a leading Thai journalist. Many of the nations of Asia are looking for a substitute for the U.S. and the most logical candidate is Asia's industrial supergiant — Japan. Japan has been identified in Bible prophecy! Prophecy shows that Japan is destined to play a vital role in the future of Asia. Japan is the Tarshish of Asia in Bible prophecy. As the number one shipbuilder in the world, the modern "Ships of Tarshish" figure prominently in today's prophesied world trade. A full explanation of Japan's identity was presented in the "Question Box" section of the December, 1967, issue of The PLAIN TRUTH magazine. If you did not receive that issue, you may write and request this information in reprint form. Despite its many national, religious and political differences, Asia will ultimately be welded together into a common power bloc. It will ultimately send its military muscle into the Middle East at the return of Jesus Christ. This prophecy is recorded in Revelation 16:12 and 16. Japan will play a vital role in this battle. A great military crisis between the Western and Eastern power blocs will precipitate the return of Jesus Christ to this earth to prevent total annihilation of human life as a result of this insane power struggle. Jesus Christ must return to stop man from destroying himself (Matthew 24:22). This battle does not, however, totally crush the Asian power bloc. Even after Jesus Christ has returned and the Kingdom of God has been established, and modern Israel has been brought out of captivity and placed in the land of Palestine, there is yet another attempt on the part of the Asiatics to achieve their dream of world conquest. We read of this in Ezekiel 38 and 39. God inspired Ezekiel to write, "And the word of the Eternal came unto me, saying, Son of Man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him..." (Ezekiel 38:1-2). The marginal reference gives the words "chief prince" as "chief of Rosh." This is RUSSIA. Joined with Rosh is Meshech (who settled the area of Moskva or Moscow) and Tubal (modern Tobolsk) — the Great Russians. Allied together are "Gomer and all his bands [of Central Asia]; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters [Siberia], and all his bands; and many people with thee" (verse 6). These verses refer to the Soviet Union and every major Oriental and Asian race in existence. The minor nations of Southeast Asia are included in verse 6: "all his bands and many people." Notice another name added in verse 13: TARSHISH! Japan will be allied with this Soviet-dominated power bloc. In their attempt to arrogate to themselves world rule, five sixths of the Asian horde will be annihilated, and burial troops work seven months (Ezekiel 39:12) to bury the millions of dead. From the ruins of this crushing defeat will emerge a truly NEW JAPAN — a NEW ASIA — and a NEW WORLD. The wonderful WORLD TOMORROW!
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