CO129-578-12 Sino-Japanese War- attacks on shipping 10-1-1939 - 17-11-1939 — Page 80

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of International Law, since the Imperial Japunose

Govemment, like His Majesty's Government in the United

Kingdom, have subscribed to the Hague Convention which

forbids, inter aliu, attacks on, or even the capture of,

innocent fishing vessels in or near coastal waters;

further Jason is also bound by the normal rales of

International Law which forbid deliberate attacks on

merchant vessels. Moreover although the ships are not

so far as is known, in the main British-owned, interfer-

ence with their activities involves an important British

interest in that these fishing craft, which are licensed

and habitually based on Hong Kong, are laportant provi-

ders of foodstuffs, while the great majority of them

oarry

subjects.

hinese person born in Rong ong and thua British

3.

Further, before communicating the details

of these attoks to me, the Goramasat of Hong Kong

satisfied themselves that there was no evidence to show

that in any of the cases named the junta were engaged in anything but fishing and other innocent activities.

ven if a small number should have been engaged in

activities held to be detrimental to Japanese interests,

the destruction of vessels and, as occurred in & number

of instances, the killing of their crews are neither justified under International Law nor consonant with

the dictates of bumanity.

4.

I have accordingly been instructed to state that it is the earnest hope of His majesty's Goverment

that a study of these details will result in the issue

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