RIOTING IN KOBE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22621, 26 April 1948, Page 5

RIOTING IN KOBE

KOREAN CITIZENS U.S. FORCES CALLED OUT MANY ARRESTS MADE l N ,Z. P. A.—Reuter—Copyright.) (10 a.m.) TOKYO, April 25. American troops were called out today to quell rioting Koreans in Kobe. This was the first emergency of United States occupation of Japan. Colonel George Jones, of the Eighth Army, said that 178 Koreans had been arrested by United States soldiers. The riots began when the Koreans refused to accept the new Japanese school regulations. Colonel Jones said that the trouble started in Msaka when 7000 Koreans threatened the authorities in the prefectural office. They were dispersed by Japanese police and then shifted their attack to Kobe. They invaded the prefectural Government headquarters in Kobe, and held the Governor, Mayor and chief of police prisoners, forcing the Governor to release 70 Koreans who had been arrested earlier lor disobeying the school law. Colonel Jones said the re-arrest of 70 Koreans had been ordered as well as all those who had intimidated the Governor, Mayor and Chief of Police. Colonel Jones added that he was convinced that Communists were behind the disorders. Brigadier-General Willoughby, General MacArthur’s intelligence chief, said he was convinced that the riots were instigated by Communists. Lieut.-General Robert Eichelberger, commander of the United States Eighth Army in Japan, will fly to Kobe tomorrow. General Eichelberger said today: "These Koreans have chosen to live in Japan. They must observe the laws. They ganged up on the prefectural authorities. I won’t stand for it.”