CO129-579-10 Sino-Japanese War- quarterly reports of Japanese activities 25-1-1939 - 1-2-1940 — Page 14

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to Italy, who favours closer alliance with Italy,

Germany and Russia and whose embarkation speech

included the Japanese aim is to "free China from two

canturies of white man's exploitation", is to call

a conference of all Japanese diplomats in Europe.

A Japanese former Consul-General at Hong

Kong and now chief of the Europe-Asia Affairs branch

of the Foreign Office passed through Hong Kong in a

hurry in November on his way to Manila where it is

suspected he is concerned with the reputed U.S.A,

official enquiry into the extent of the Japanese

holdings in the Philippines.

The President of the Formosa Bank visited

the Colony and Canton in December with his chiaf

intellince agent and conferred with the Formosa

A Formosan government representative at Hong Kong. government financial clerk also visited the Colony.

Manchoukuo trade is also concerned in the

:

rehabilitation scheme in Canton. The South Manchurian

Railway has opened on official office in Hong Kong to

boost travel its lines and will shortly hold a reception

here. Up to now its officials have appeared to concern

themselves with economic investigation and there has

recently been some intrigue with the Chinese. National

Governments' Communications Ministry. The Canton

representative of this Railway describes himself as

a water meter engineer.

The NIPPON SIUSAN KAISHA (Japan marine products

company) a semi-official company which, operating from

Hong Kong, formerly controlled most of the Japanese

fishing industry in South China, has now opened a depot

at Canton and has installed huge refrigerating plant

there.

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