THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT
FAR EASTERN (CHINA).
CONFIDENTIAL.
October 9, 1937.
SECTION 1.
75
[F 7656/130/10]
Sir R. Craigie to Mr. Eden.--(Received October 9.)
Copy No.
131
(No. 441.)
HIS Majesty's representative at Tokyo presents his compliments to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and, with reference to Tokyo telegram No. 333 of the 31st August, has the honour to transmit to him copy of an oral communication of the 30th August, 1937, made by the Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs to the French counsellor on the subject of the Japanese blockade of the China coast, communicated by the French Embassy.
Tokyo, September 7, 1937.
Enclosure.
Oral Communication of August 30, 1937, made by Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs to French Counsellor.
THE closing of the traffic applies, as clearly stated in the declaration made on the 25th instant by Admiral Hasegawa, only to Chinese vessels, and does not apply to the vessels of third Powers. Consequently, arms and ammunition carried on board the latter ships do not come within the scope of the present measure. However, since the above-mentioned declaration was issued there have been Chinese ships flying foreign flags in order to evade the application of the declaration, and the Japanese Government are faced with the necessity of inspecting the suspected ships in order to identify their nationality. The Japanese Government, of course, do not want to create unnecessary misunder- standing with the ships of third Powers, and so they would find it convenient to have advance notice of the ships entering the prescribed area, as to their names, their captains and the matters concerning the capital invested in them.
2. As you are aware, the Japanese Government have made it clear, in their statement of the 26th August, that in the face of the present situation they were forced to adopt this measure with a view to prompting China's reconsideration and bringing about a speedy settlement. Under the present circumstances, if large quantities of arms and ammunition were to be supplied to China from abroad, it would only strengthen, both morally and materially, her antagonism towards Japan, and thereby prolong and intensify the present conflict. The Japanese Government, therefore, hope that the Governments of the third Powers concerned will appreciate the delicate situation, and refrain, as much as possible, from doing anything which is likely to encourage China in this direction.
3. The present declaration, as stated above, does not apply in the case of the ships of third Powers, and the Japanese Government do not, for the present, contemplate taking any action to prevent the importation of arms and ammunition into China by foreign vessels. But in view of the fact that such importation of war supplies is bound to increase Chinese opposition against Japan, future developments may compel the Japanese Government to devise more effective and suitable measures to stop all importation of arms and ammunition into China.
[133 i-1]