THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT
162
FAR EASTERN (JAPAN).
CONFIDENTIAL.
April 19, 1939.
SECTION 1.
[F 3768/874/23]
(No. 210.)
Sir R. Craigie to Viscount Halifax.—(Received April 19.)
Copy No. 121
HIS Majesty's representative at Tokyo presents his compliments to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and, with reference to Tokyo despatch No. 101 of the 14th February, 1939, has the honour to transmit to him a copy of Political Diary No. 2 of 1939.
Tokyo, March 21, 1939.
Enclosure.
Political Diary No. 2 of 1939 (February 1 to 28).
(This diary is a brief and informal review of current topics. Although it is largely based on extracts from the Japanese press and is not in the nature of a considered report, the diary should be treated as confidential and should not be publicly quoted or reproduced.)
(A)-China Incident.
(1) Landing on Hainan Island.
35. On the 10th February Japanese troops landed on Hainan Island and, meeting with no resistance, the Chinese regular forces having evacuated the island, proceeded to occupy the port of Hoihow, in the north, and a small area at the southern extremity of the island.
36. According to Japanese authorities, the reasons for the occupation of Hainan were primarily strategic. There had been traffic in munitions by junk between Hainan and the Kwangchow Leased Territory. Secondly, Japanese naval vessels in South China waters, engaged on the blockade of the coast, had hitherto no convenient base. Thirdly, from such landing grounds as may be constructed in Hainan aeroplanes could bomb the railway from Haiphong to Kunming, as well as the highway from Burma, China's two main lines of supply. A political motive may have played its part in determining the move. Japan, as a loyal member of the anti-Comintern triangle, doubtless feels herself bound to make trouble for Britain and France wherever she can, or to see how much they will stand, and the occupation of Hainan constitutes a direct threat to Indo-China.
37. The British, American and French Ambassadors all made informal enquiries at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, under instructions from their Governments, and received similar answers. The reasons for the occupation were strategic, said Mr. Arita, and the occupation itself would be temporary.
(2) Gueichau Island.
38. The capture of this important island, 30 miles south of Pakhoi and 100 miles east of the Indo-China coast, was announced by Imperial Headquarters on the 3rd February. (It had been occupied temporarily during September of last year and later abandoned.)
39. The Japanese Commander-in-chief requested all aircraft to keep to a distance of 15 miles from the island.
Gueichau is now the nearest point in Japanese possession from which aeroplanes can take off to bomb the overland route from Burma.
[583 t-1]
B