CO129-570-8 Sino-Japanese War- sinking of Chinese fishing boats by Japanese vessel 31-1-1938 - 22-12-1938 — Page 51

TRANSLATION.

No. 47

Confidential

From: Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

51

MEMORANDUM.

The Imperial Ministry for Foreign Affärs have

the honour to acknowledge receipt of His Britannic Majesty's

Embassy's memorandum of the 13th January regarding the case

when Chinese fishing boats were sunk by a patrol vessel of

the Imperial Navy to the south of Chilang Point on the 22nd

September last.

But, besides the fact that the Imperial

Government have from the outset regarded this case as a

purely Sino-Japanese affair with which Third Powers have no

concern, the patrol vessel directly connected with the

incident has continued in the performance of its function in

the blockade of the China Coast and therefore the true facts

of the details of the case have not been investigated from

the persons directly concerned, However, in view of the

receipt of His Majesty's Embassy's memorandum, the opportunity

of the recent return to Japan of the vessel in question has

been taken to re-open more detailed investigations.

Ministry have the honour to enclose a copy of the report of

these investigations addressed by the Vice-Minister of Marine

to the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs and to ctate the

views of the Imperial Japanese Government regarding this case,

which are as follows:

1

The

(1) When the Chinese junks saw the patrol vessel of

the Imperial Navy approaching, they illegally

opened fire upon her with rifles.

The patrol

vessel was therefore compelled to reply with

force and finally sank the junks.

This was no

more than a natural act of self-defence,

(2)/