JAPAN WARNED.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 65, Issue 195, 31 May 1945, Page 5

JAPAN WARNED.

TREATMENT OF PRISONERS. WASHINGTON, May 29. The State Department announced that the United States lias rejected the Japanese protests against the sinking of the Awamaru on April 11 and copies of notes between the United States and Japßn, exchanged through the Swiss Govei’nment, reveal that Japan claimed that the sinking was the most outrageous act of treachery, and said that the United States was deemed to have abandoned her former desire relating to the treatment of United States prisoners of war and civilian internees in Japanese hands. The American note said that the United States regrets such heavy loss of life, but the death roll resulted partly from survivors’ refusal to accept the lifelines'thrown from a submarine, which remained at the scene making every effort to rescue survivors. The note asserted that there was no valid connection between the sinking and the way the Japanese treated prisoners of war. It added: “The Japanese Government is hereby put on notice that any retaliatory acts against Allied nationals in Japanese custody will be a matter of the gravest concern. This Government or any persons issuing or executing orders in this connection will be severely dealt with at the appropriate time.” The United States Government has issued a stern warning to the Japanese Government against the mishandling of United States prisoners of war, says a Washington correspondent. The warning follows Japanese hints of reprisals against Americans jin their hands for the torpedoing of the Japanese ship by an American submarine. The Japanese Government has been informed that the ship, which was travelling under safe conduct, was sunk in error, and the submarine commander is to be courtmartialled. The United States Government categorically denied the Japanese claim that the ship was wilfully sunk.