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165
From JAPAN.
Decode and Decypher.
Sir R. Craigie (Tokyo).
December 3rd 1937.
D.
7.30 p. ill.
December 3rd 1937.
R.
1.15 p.m.
December 3rd 1937.
No.759.
"R" begins.
Your telegrams Nos. 447 and 558.
Japanese Government replied to my first communication on this subject by referring to correspondence between British and Japanese Commanders-in-Chief at Shanghai in which latter denied that any vessels known to be of British ownership were attacked on the day in question. I then made a further communication stating that Japanese Commander-in-Chief's letter was already known to you and renewing representations as instructed in your telegram 0.447. Copies of this correspondence went to you by
bag on November 20th.
I have now received further long reply gist of which is that owing to anti-aircraft fire on several successive days previously
Japanese aircraft did not descend below 1,000 metres, a height which rendered identification impossible. No Japanese aviator consciously bombed British flag, there was therefor no disregard of instructions and Japanese Government cannot consider taking disciplinary action. Japanese Government will exercise the utmost care to prevent an occurrence of similar incidents in the future but "it is not possible in practice to fly at low altitudes in defiance of elementary principle of warfare in order
to make sure of nationality".
Small flags as markings are
inadequate
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