CO129-567-5 Traffic of arms to China and Japanese air-raids on Kowloon-Canton railway 11-4-1938 - 19-1-1939 — Page 222

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to the Foreign Office if not required for official use.]

223

AMENDED DISTRIBUTION.

From JAPAN.

Decode.

Sir R. Craigie, (Tokyo).

27th June, 1938.

D.

8.34 p.m.

27th June, 1938.

R.

4.00 p.ille

27th June, 1938.

No. 784.

(R).

0:0:0:0

Your telegram No. 419.22

I reminded His Excellency of representations which I had made to Mr. Hirota some months ago and asked whether he could repeat assurances given to me on that occasion. Minister for

Foreign Affairs replied that there was no present intention of proceeding to the occupation of Hainan. The question would be viewed purely from a strategic point of view. If, in connexion with operations against Hankow and possibly later on against Canton, such occupation became necessary it would be undertaken. But in that case he could positively affirm assurances given in regard to the absence of territorial ambitions in China referred not only to the mainland but to the islands. Any occupation would be temporary and based purely on strategical considerations.

I stressed the bad effect on British public opinion which even a temporary occupation would cause and expressed the hope that this would be borne carefully in mind before any decision was taken on the basis of the strategical considerations he had mentioned. His Excellency observed with a smile that possible effects on public opinion abroad of any particular action was

one of the considerations which was always present in the minds of the Japanese Government. He added in reply to my enquiry that there was no present intention of an attack on Canton.

Addressed to Foreign Office telegram No. 784; repeated to Sir A. Clark Kerr.