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and Japan on/
their way to and from Canton.
These included secretær ies,
olerks and other officials attached to the Foreign Affairs Department of the Formosan and Japanese Governments, as well
as Finance Ministers and Bank Directors from Manchukuo.
large number of the leading industrial firms in Japan and Formosa engaged in sugar refining, mining, fishing, shipping, etc., have been represented by their directors and managers to inspect conditions and the prospects of furthering the Japanese intentions of increased economic development in South China. A large number of local Jep anese businessmen have been making frequent trips to Canton in an effort to open up business there, but it is reported that the prospects are
still very poor.
(11)
Information has bom received that the South Manchuria
Railway, sponsored by the Japanese Government, intends to
commence the construction of a railway line from Bias Bay to
Canton. Although confirmation of this is still lacking, there is no doubt that they have been showing more than their usual interest in South China affairs of late. A considerable number
of their employees, including civil engineers, have been passing through Hong Kong on their way to and from Canton, and in
addition, their local staff has also been increased. This
organisation, which was originally represented in liong Kong by an employee who claimed to have come here to study English and Cantonese, but has been known to be concerned in gathering political and economical information with the aid of many agents in Hong Kong and South China; has now come into the open by establishing an office in the business section of the town on
the same premises as the Domei News Agency. This latter
concern has recently opened a new branch called the "south China Photo Service", ostensibly for the receipt and despatch of journalistic photographs. The Domei News Agency, in common with most of the other leading Japanese newspapers represented in Hong Kong, has also increased its staff.
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