CASE FOR JAPAN

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 29, 4 February 1932, Page 11

CASE FOR JAPAN

CHINA ALL TO BLAME

STATEMENT BY PREMIER

(Received 4th February, 1- p.m.) WASHINGTON, 3rd February. In an exclusive interview with the United Press correspondent at Tokio, the Japanese. Premier, Mr. Inukai, today outlined Japan's position-

(1) The Shanghai incident and the Manchurian affair are entirely separate matters. ; (2) Both, are due to a similar cause: "Violent Chines© military attacks." (3) The Japanese aia not drop bombs in the Chinese city of Shanghai or on the International Settlement. /The .attack was directed exclusively against tho attacking Chinese Army." The tonsion between the Japanese and Chinese in Shanghai in the presence of the overwhelming Chinese forces outsido the city sadly resulted in a crescendo of riots and atrocities leaving the Japanese in terror of their lives." (4) Tho Chinese without provocation attacked marines in force after giving a definite assurance for the future to tho Japanese in Shanghai. (5) Japan feels that the boycott of Japanese in China is contrary to her treaty on commerce. The boycott ''universal throughout China is enforced by terrorists exercised by the party in control and countenanced by the tacit encouragement of the Govoninient. It is not a spontaneous popular movement."

- Mr. Inukai concluded: "Japan infinitely deplores the occurrences which have been forced on, her by Chinese militarism. She has already lost precious" lives jn Shanghai and Mauehuria. "Appreciating sincerely American

I devotion to the cause of peace I am certain that the American and European publics with their well-known sense of fairness -will' Tecognise that peace is not endangered hy the acts of Japan, but by the inconsiderate precipitancy of the armies of China." TJ.S. SENAIOB'S VIEWS. Conimentin,g, Senator Borah said: "The statement is an amazing one. We had been advised by the most reliable Press reports that bombs were dropped on the Chinese city of Shanghai aad did great injury to civilians thera. Now we are advised that no such ■ things occurred. The dead in Shanghai and the burned portions of the city all require further explanation." ~ i

Senator Moset. expressed surprise at the statement, and said: "There may be some humourists in the Japanese Foreign Office."

The State Department and the White House have studied tie statement, but without comment.