NF 12293
IL
LIMITED DINERI UTION.
179
Decypher.
Sir A. Clark Kerr (Shanghai).
50th November, 1939.
D.
(Via V/T.) 30th November, 1989.
R.
30th November, 1959.
No. 1513.
•
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Since the end of 1957 an arrangement has been in force
whereby particulars of British properties in China are
notified to the Japanese Military Authorities unofficially
The arrangement is based on
F72:5/4250/10 Fyz/so/10 through the Air Attaché. 770/62/10
Foreign Office telegrams of October 11th 1987 to Nanking and
No. 17 of January 7th 1938 to Mr. Howe. Repeated requests
from Japanese Consular Authorities in Shanghai and other posts for official communication of such particulars through Consular channels have as a general rule been refused, and evasive replies returned to the effect that, while Iritish subjects have been told that if they so wish particulars of their pro erties passed on informally, responsibility for identification and the protection of British property rests with Japanese. Similar line has been taken by His Majesty's Ambassador at Tokyo (see for example his note to the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs [? November 7th] 1938).
I have always regarded this attitude as unnecessarily cautious and foreign [? representatives] at Hankow consider we should have been in a stronger position to protest against the damage to British property if we had made every effort from the beginning to give Japanese full particulars.
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DEC
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3.
Japanese
$
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