MENACE TO THE JAPANESE

Taranaki Daily News, 21 April 1928, Page 13

MENACE TO THE JAPANESE

TROOPS HURRY TO TSINGTAO HEAVY CHINESE FIGHTING ENORMOUS LOSSES IN MEN Bj Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. A and N.Z. Shanghai, April 19. five thousand Japanese troops have been ordered from Mumamoto, near Nagasaki, to proceed to Tsingtao and Shantung in readiness to move inland to protect Japanese residents in Tsinan, owing to the serious development of the Chinese war situation. Three companies of Japanese troops are proceeding immediately from Tientsin, and several warships from the Japanese squadron, which is cruising in Chinese waters, have been detached with orders from Tokio to sail to Tsingtao to provide landing parties for the protection of the Tsingtao Japanese in case of emergency. Reports from the Shantung battlefront state that fierce fighting in the vicinity of Tsining, between the forces of the Christian general Feng-Yuh-Si-ang, and Sun-Chuan-Fang, former military governor of Shanghai, favours the former. Nationalist forces from Nanking are pressing northward to aid Feng, while Chang Tso-Lin is rushing Fengtien troops southward to reinforce Sun-Chuan-Fang and stem the Southerners’ advance. Peking residents are displaying restlessness and anxiety. Japan’s move has aroused protests by the local vernacular Press.

The Chinese are indignant at Japan’s alleged interference in the civil war, and are threatening the usual -boycott as a reprisal. The latest reports indicate the most severe defeat Sun-Chuan-Fang ever had at the hands of the Southern forces, entailing the annihilation of one complete army and involving about 50.000 casualties and prisoners. The Southerners lost 20,000.

Sun was endeavouring to reach the rear of Chiang-Kaishek’s left flank, which was insufficiently protected, whereupon Feng-Yuh-Siang cut Sun’s communications, enforcing the retreat of the whole Northern forces. A promising plan of campaign has thus crumpled.

A Foreign Office statement at Tokio emphasised that the Japanese forces are being sent to Shantung solely to protect Japanese lives and property, there being 12,500 Japanese in Shantung, A Cabinet council is considering the situation to-day in view of the possible serious effect on domestic politics. The Diet meets to-morrow and it will be necessary to submit the expenses of the Shantung expedition as a special item in the supplementary Budget immediately. A bitter debate is expected, since the Premier has already been severely criticised because of the Communist raids and recent political murders. Received April 20, 8.30 p.m. A. and N.Z. Tokio, April 20.

The Government issued to-day an official statement that the expedition of an emergency measure is necessary for rhe protection of the lives and property of sixteen thousand Japanese in Shantung, and repudiating the suggestion of intervention between the Southern and Northern Chinese.