[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government, and should be returned
to the Foreign Office if not required for official use.]
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FROM JAPAN
Decode.
Sir R. Craigie (Tokyo).
8th January 1938.
D.
10.20 p.m. 8th January 1938.
R. 6.00 0.m.
No. 25. (R).
8th January 1938.
IMMEDIATE,
I have just received semi-official letter from Vice Minister
for Foreign affairs. Begins: As Chinese are at present trans- porting large quantities of war materials overland from Hongkong
towards Canton, the Imperial forces desire for reasons of
strategical necessity to carry out bonbardment of Chinese line of
communication in neighbourhood of Tungkuan in Eastern Canton province. The Imperial Govemment are anxious to do all in their power to prevent the occurrence of unfortunate incidents such as
might cause loss to life or property of British subjects if
British motor cars became involved in this bombardment and I
should therefore be grateful if Your Excellency would be so good as to arrange that British motor cars should not for the time being pass through the district in question. If owing to un- avoidable circumstances they are obliged to pass through the district, I should be glad if adequate notice of the fact could
be given in advance. Ends.
Addressed to Foreign Office, repeated to embassy, Shanghai, Hongkong (for Commander-in-Chief as telegram No. 5).