JAPAN’S ATTITUDE TO HONG KONG

Southland Times, Issue 23374, 4 December 1937, Page 7

JAPAN’S ATTITUDE TO HONG KONG

WATCH ON CHINESE ACTIVITIES

PEACE MOVES BY GERMANY DENIED IN BERLIN

(United Press Assn—Telegraph Copyright)

(Received December 3, 8.55 p.m.) LONDON, December 3. To a representative of the Australian Associated Press in Tokyo who asked about Japan’s attitude to Hong Kong, the spokesman for the Japanese Foreign Office (Mr Tatsuo Kawai) replied: “I learned that some 400 Chinese officials and others have already arrived at Hong Kong. If they utilize Hong Kong as a base for anti-Japanese activities Japan will consider it a serious question.” Mr Kawai laughed at a report that Britain was negotiating for bases at Macao, Portugal’s possession across the mouth of the Canton river from Hong Kong. The Berlin correspondent of The Times says a report that the German Minister to China (Herr Oskar Trautmann) is initiating a Sino-Japanese peace move on behalf of Germany is denied in official circles. FUTURE OF CUSTOMS AT SHANGHAI JAPAN AGAINST ACTION BY THIRD PARTY (Received December 4, 12.10 a.m.) LONDON, December 3. According to the Tokyo correspondent of The Daily Telegraph the newspaper Asahi Shimbun contends that the administration of the Customs at Shanghai is an organ of the Nanking Government; therefore any change in status can be settled only by direct negotiations between China and Japan; no third party is entitled to intervene. However, Japan will respect other Powers’ rights.