JAPANESE COMPLAIN

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 201, 25 August 1945, Page 6

JAPANESE COMPLAIN

Alleged Soviet Massacre Of Peace Mission PROPOSED LANDING OPPOSED Rec. 2.30 p.m. NEW YORK, Aug. 24. Tokyo radio claims that the Russians last Wednesday massacred a Japanese military peace mission distinctly bearing a white flag, also civilians and refugees, at Maoka, on Sakhalin. Ten of the mission's 13 members were killed. The Russians also turned machine-guns on civilians. The Russians on Wednesday sank a Japanese ship carrying refugees to Otaru and Hokkaido. The Japanese sent a message to General Mac Arthur saying that according to a Moscow broadcast Russia is reported to be about to send airborne troops to Hokkaido. If this is true it would be greatly regretted by the Japanese Government, "which is doing its best to fulfil all your requirements by placing the army, navy and civilians under strict control. It is earnestly hoped that the Allied armed forces will enter Japan according to the plan notified by Allied Supreme Headquarters. The Japanese also informed General Mac Arthur that peace and order were steadily deteriorating in the Nanking-Shanghai-Hankow area. Japanese troops in some places had been forced to take action for selfdefence, also for the maintenance of peace, due to the destruction of the railway and attacks by irregulars.