IMPATIENCE IN TOKIO

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 155, 28 March 1938, Page 9

IMPATIENCE IN TOKIO

Failure Of Japan’s Advance

In China

SUCCESS TO DEFENDERS

By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.

(Received March 27, 10.35 p.m.)

London, March 27.

Foreign military observers at Shanghai consider that the Japanese may never capture Hsuchow. On the contrary, they may even break themselves from the military viewpoint. It is stated that the Japanese have not made a single strategic advance and have been seriously hampered by Chinese flank attacks in all sectors on the Tientsin-Pukow railway. It is known that the Japanese command is trying to allay impatience in Tokio over the failure materially to advance since October. They staked all on the Hsuchow attack. ‘ The Chinese are now rushing up further reinforcements, while Marshal Chiang Kai-shek is reported to have arrived at Chengchow to direct operations.

A Hankow dispatch states that the Chinese claim that they have launched a large offensive against the Japanese along the Tientsin-Pukow railway and secured a footing in Tsaochang after storming the city walls and capturing many Japanese.

Stabilising Influence.

Mrs. Victoria Griffith, a naturalised Portuguese-born American at Shanghai, indignantly protested to the American Consul-General because a Japanese sentry pushed her back and forced her to remove her hat when she sought a permit to remove property from territory occupied by Japanese to the International Settlement.

The Foreign Office Spokesman at Tokio, Mr. Tatsuo Kawai, explained that the Prime Minister’s statement on March 22 must' not be interpreted to mean either the annexation or the permanent occupation of Chinese territory, but that it was Japan’s intention to remain as a stabilising influence behind a new Chinese Government.

In reply to a question, the Prime Minister, Prince Konoye, was reported to have said: “I can at least safely say that Japan is determined not to evacuate even an inch of the territory occupied by the Japanese forces in China.” COMPROMISE ON BILL Crisis For Japanese Ministry Avoided (Received March 27, 10.5 p.m.) Tokio, March 27. The possibility of the Government resigning over the Electricity Bill was mentioned by the "Yomiuri Shimbun.” A joint conference of both Houses was held in an endeavour to smooth out the differences.

A later message stated that the conference reached a compromise on the Bill, which the Government accepted.