5
CONFIDENTIAL
Hon. Colonial Secretary,
On the afternoon of 16th May, 1938, the Consul-General
for Japan called to see me in regard to the question of the
return of former Japanese residents to Hong Kong. He stated he had reported in Tokyo on the satisfactory conditions under
which Japanese had carried on in Hong Kong. He stated that many Japanese wished to return and it was proposed that passports enabling them to do so should be issued in Japan
only after the following procedure:-
(a) Applicants who apply to submit a statement to
the Japanese Residents Association in Hong Kong of the proposed
time of return, nature of business and proposed place of
residence.
(b) The Association would make a recommendation to the Consul-General on such application, (e.g. the Association would discourage residents in outlying districts.)
(c) The Consul-General would report to the authorities
in Japan as to grant or otherwise of the passport.
I indicated to the Consul-General that I was averse
to any Japanese returning at the present time. In view of recent events in Amoy and of the anti-Japanese feeling likely to be engendered by the treatment of Chinese sailing craft in the vicinity of Hong Kong, I am apprehensive of an anti-Japanese outburst in the Colony although there are no signs of such at the moment. I informed him that I had reported to you that I considered the need for Japanese residents again proceeding to concentration points might
have to be considered. The Consul-General was surprised
at this view because his own information was that relations
in the Colony boded no danger. Reference was made to newspaper reports of acts by Japanese warships. I stated
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that several such reports were undoubtedly incorrect, but that I, myself, believed many were substantially true. Unofficially, I also informed him of No.1 Police launch being challenged by a Japanese motor boat recently in British
waters. He was surprised to hear of this but stated it
must have been due to extreme caution of Japanese warships
when anchored at night as the Japanese Naval Authorities
were aware that the Chinese Government had obtained motor
torpedo speed boats with a view to attacking Japanese craft.
He asked if the Police Department could control the Press reports of alleged acts by Japanese warships. I informed him that the Police did not carry out censorship, but that censorship of Chinese newspapers was in the hands of the Secretary for Chinese Affairs, while there was no official censorship of British papers.
The interview was unofficial.
(sd) T.H.King.
Commissioner of Police
17th May, 1938.
age 6
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