JAPANESE WAR MINISTER

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22419, 4 June 1938, Page 15

JAPANESE WAR MINISTER

* general ITAGAKI APPOINTED FAVOURS SPEEDING UP CHINESE CAMPAIGN BIG BATTLE EXPECTED (TOTTED PRESS ASSOCIATION- COPYRIGHT.) (Received June 4, 12.25 a.m.) TOKYO, June 3. Lieutenant-General Itagaki has been recalled from China and appointed . Minister for War. to succeed General Sugiyama. He is the youngest War Minister in the history of Japan, and is regarded as possessing outstanding ability. The new Minister favours speeding up the campaign in China, beginning with the capture of Hankow. General Sugiyama has been appointed to the Supreme War Council. The Japanese expect a momentous battle west of Langfeng. Marshal Chiang Kai-shek is personally directing the disposition of 14 Chinese divisions between Langfeng and Kaifeng. A message from Tokyo states that the Japanese claim to be encircling Kaifeng and in spite of counterattacks at Langfeng are now driving towards Chengchow, where it is estimated that 200,000 Chinese are massed. It is officially staled in Tokyo that fee Japanese losses for three months to May 31 are 2139 killed and 8586 wounded. The Chinese casualties are stated to be 250,000. U.S. INTERESTS IN CHINA SOME DEMANDS CONCEDE!* BY: JAPANESE (Received June 3, 8.35 p.m.) WASHINGTON, June 3. The State Department is officially advised that the Japanese Government has acceded to at least some of the demands in the American protest of June 1. It has formally returned certain property belonging to American missions. The United States protest, made by the Secretary of State (Mr Cordell Hull), was against continued interference by Japanese military with American nationals and properties in China. The protest was joined by the British Consulate in Shanghai. ; ... - A Shanghai message states that Japan has restored the American mission station at Chapei, but not the university or business properties. Permission has, been promised four British missionaries to re- '. Aura to Nanking. BOMBERS MISS MARK ABORTIVE RAID ON CANTON (Received June 4, 12.20 a.m.) CANTON, June 3. Eight Japanese bombers at 3 p.m. carried out a raid which lasted an hour. They concentrated chiefly on the area round the Canton-Kowloon railway terminus, where thousands of refugees were awaiting transport to Hohg Kong; but the bombs missed their mark. REPORTED LANDING NEAR HONG KONG LONDON, June 2. Later messages deny a report from Hong Kong that a Japanese force of unknown strength landed under a barrage from warships at Saiheung, eight miles west of the Hong Kong border, where there is only a small Chinese garrison. AIR ATTACKS ,ON CHINESE 1800 JAPANESE RAIDS LAST MONTH (Received June 3, 9,50 p.m.) SHANGHAI, Tune 3. It is announced that during May Japanese naval aircraft carried out 1800 raids over China, dropping 900 tons of explosives.