TOKIO REPORTS RAIDS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXII, Issue 119, 20 April 1942, Page 5

TOKIO REPORTS RAIDS

BOMBS DROPPED ON CITIES NO ALLIED CONFIRMATION (United Press Association.—-Copyright.—ltec. 11.15 a.m.) LONDON, April 19.

An air attack was made on Tokio early yesterday afternoon, Japanese time, according _to a broadcast from Tokio which was picked up in San Francisco. There has been no confirmation yet of such a raid by any of the Allied nations. Tokio said that though bombers wrought telling damage to schools and hospitals no damage to military establishments was done.. The attack was made on industrial areas, lokio radio, quoting an announcement from the Imperial Headquarters, said that hostile planes also bombed Yokohama Nagoya and Kobe. If the news of the raid is correct, it will have been the first attack on the Japanese capital since the beginning of the Avar.

■V "New York message savs that the Tokio official radio Asserts the planes which bombed Tokio and other cities came from aircraft carriers which sped off immediately after they had launched their planes, while the planes flew to China after the completion of the raids. The radio says that surveys showed that Japanese transportation and communication facilities are functioning without important alterations after the raids. It says: _ The only accomplishment was the wounding of children in a primary school and the killing and wounding of patients in a hospital.

The German-controlled Oslo wireless reported from Tokio that the attack on the capital lasted for seven hours and said that according to unconfirmed reports an American aircraft-carriei was seen off the coast of Japan. The American War and Navy Departments had no immediate confirmation of the tombing of Tokio, and there is no indication of when a communique might be issued. However, it is pointed out that if the bombings wore a longdistance attack the aircralt would be many hours in returning to the starting point, and reports would not be available till then. The Chungking correspondent of the Associated Press of America says he has learned from an authoritative source that the raids against Japan were not made from Chinese bases. The Tokio Tress to-day tells its public that they must be on the alert against further air attacks. A Chungking message states that the Chief of Staff. General Ho Ying-ehin. commenting on the raids, said: "It will be even better next time. The raids on Tokio are only a beginning, but the Japanese will soon experience bombings similar to their attacks on China."

The enthusiasm of Ihe Chinese population following the raids on Tokio was indescribable. The theatres interrupted their performances and announced the news to cheering audiences, while the newspapers had record circulations. Though the Chinese habitually ignore Japanese broadcasts, thousands excitedly listened to the Tokio radio.