[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government, and should be returned
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205
61.
From JAPAN.
Yo
Decypher. Sir R. Craigie (Tokyo).
25th September, 1957.
D.
4.30 p.m.
25th September, 1957.
R. 9.30 a.m.
25th September, 1937.
iTo. 444.
T9
19
Copay to
w.D.
Aday
67
A.M.
B.T. 64
D.O. T
Vice inister for Foreign Affairs informed me today that
on September 17th Japanese Consul-General at Hongkong intimated privately to the Governor that if arms and ammunition, particularly anti-aircraft guns and machine guns, continued to be transported by Canton [? grp. omtd.] quantities as at present Japanese forces might be compelled in not distant future to destroy railway at places outside British leased territory. Japanese Consulate General accordingly suggested in order to forestall such possibility British authorities might consider taking steps to prohibit transport of arms and ammunition by that railway. reply the Governor is stated to have expressed unofficial opinion, so far as Hongkong Government were concerned, no objection was seen to prohibiting the transport of arms beyond the border of the colony provided Japanese forces would undertake not to destroy Canton-Kowloon railway.
In
Vice Minister accordingly asked me to ascertain what would be the views of His Majesty's Government on the matter.
I replied that it seemed to me rather serious matter to suggest that we should stop the export of arms and ammunition under threat of destruction of Canton-Kowloon railway in which I had ascertain British capital was invested but I promised to enquiïe your views at once.
Japanese idea is presumably that munitions arriving in the colony should be forwarded only by Shanghai where they would be subject to capture by Japanese warships.
Addressed to Foreign Office telegram 444 of September 25;
repeated to Hongkong.
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Private notes are available after approval.