JAPAN’S PROTEST

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21144, 20 June 1940, Page 8

JAPAN’S PROTEST

REPLY BY FRANCE ! i INDOCHINA'S POSITION ! APPROACH TO DICTATORS (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received June 20, 3.15 p.m.) TOKIO, June 19 | The Foreign Minister clarified the immediate official position regarding Indo-China as follows: (1) Japan regards herself as a stabiliser in East Asia, and has so regarded herself since the first I Sino-Japanese war and the period j of the Anglo-Japanese alliance. j (2) Japan regards Indo-China i as of parallel importance with the i East Indies; indeed, of added imi portance militarily, as the chief | route of munitions to Chungking, j against which we are approaching the last stage of hostilities. The Foreign Minister is reported to have summoned the French Ambassador and protested against Indochina’s acts in assisting Chungking. The Ambassador is understood to have stated that France was taking appropriate measures in the matter for Indo-China’s voluntary stoppage of such acts. Negotiations with Dictators The newspaper Asahi Shimbun said at an extraordinary meeting of the Council the Premier stated that on the Navy’s instructions he had dispatched ambassadors to negotiate with Germany and Italy “ regarding Japan’s concern for IndoxChina, desiring that they refrain from any change in Indo-China of an unfriendly nature to Japan.” GERMANY’S ASSURANCE SOUTH SEA POSSESSIONS FINAL WARNING TO FRANCE JAPAN MAY TAKE STEPS /United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received June 20, 3.15 p.m.) TOKIO, June 19 It is reliably stated that Germany has reiterated to Japan her assurances that she will not demand the return of the South Sea possessions mandated to Japan. The newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun characterised the Foreign Minister’s protest as a final warning, asserting that Japanese forces will be forced to take the necessary military measures if Indo-China’s assistance to Chungking is not halted. BRITAIN AND JAPAN THE CONCESSION IN TIENTSIN AN AGREEMENT SIGNED THE DISPOSAL OF SILVER (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received June 20, 3.15 p.m.) LONDON, June 19 The Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Mr R. A. Butler, in announcing the signature of an agreement between the Japanese and British Governments on certain local questions relating to the British concession in Tientsin, stated that these questions included police arrangements for the suppression of terrorist acts and the more effective maintenance of law and order, the circulation of currency in the concession and the disposal of the custody by the silver reserves in the Chinese banks in the concession. The arrangement covering the latter part had received the assent of the Chinese Government. One-tenth of the silver would be used for humanitarian purposes among the famine-stricken population in North China, while the balance would re--1 main under seal in the banks until its disposal was later decided. ANXIOUS TO AID JEWS IN PALESTINE REQUEST TO BRITAIN (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received June 20, 3.15 p.m.) LONDON, June 19 The Jewish Labour Party in Palestine passed a resolution urgently asking Britain to mobilise “the scores of thousands of Jews in Palestine who are prepared to defend the country against Hitlerism and Fascism.”