INNER JAPANESE DEFENCES

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24483, 5 February 1945, Page 3

INNER JAPANESE DEFENCES

CHINA AND THE HOME ISLANDS FORMOSA REINFORCED (Rec. 8.30 pjn.) CHUNGKING. Feb. 4. The Japanese are reported to .be making special defence preparations on the shore of French Indo-China and also in the parts of China nearest to Luzon. Japanese troops withdrawn from Burma have been moved overland to Siam and Indo-China, The Japanese are reported to be n«>ng Chinese forced labour to build defence installations from Singapore to north-eastern Korea. Three new divisions have been emu to Formosa, making a total of 110,000 troops on Formosa. Twenty»six airfields have been built on Formosa and. in addition, numerous fake fields designed to deceive American aurinen. In the Japanese home islands, the War Ministry has annbunced the establishment of six army districts, with two high-ranking officers in charge of each region. Lieutenant-General Finosuke SUdo has been appointed Chief of Staff, defence headquarters. The Tokyo radio said the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and affiliated organisations had announced an sll*oui industrial mobilisation progrmnme, emphasising, the leasing to the' State of all productive enterprises essential for increasing the nation’s strength and the establishment of ah industrial army in which a system of military reward and punishment was applicable to workers. B FIGHTING IN CHINA ADVANCES BY JAPANESE (Rec. 7.30 p.m.) CHUNGKING, Feb. S.~The Chinese High Command has announced that the Japanese havte entered Suichwan and that fighting, ds now raging to the south of the icily. The Chinese communique disqosed that the Japanese have stormed : Chihing, 40 miles to the «ag' « . Kukong, in a , new drive toward* thfi 1 southern Kiangsi airfields. • A Chinese Army spokesman denied [ thaf the Japanese hhd gained fulltetotrol of the Canton-Hankowrailway.He ' said fighting waste progress atseversl * points between . KUkong; tod Chenslto. 1 There was also fighting between Hong I Kong and Swatow. -v'vV { l;. 1 An American reports 6 that the 14th Air Force base at Sttteh* r wan has been destroyedandjabtoe Tokyo radio said Superfortress : bases had been established at Sian and ' r Lanchow, as well as at Kweilin. The Americans were attempting to form I reserve bases in northern-^ China , to 1 bring all Japan within reach of 8295.