JAPANESE AGTIVITIES

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 130, 25 January 1932, Page 5

JAPANESE AGTIVITIES

(Press Assn.

preparations for military occupation of native districts BRITISH- AND FRENCH ANXIOUS

— By Telegraph — Copyright).

Rec. Jan. 24, 11.25 p.m. SHANGHAI, Sunday.

An atmosphere of gravest tension pfevails h.ere to-day as a result of the Japanese making provision to oceupy the native distriets on accounf of theii' failure to get a 'satisfdetqry reply from the Chinese Government to their ultimatum in connection with th'e recent anti-Japanese riqts; • The arrival qf additicnal warships, the .lan'ding cf marines and the genei'al military activity in wayside distriets indicate that Japanese feelng fdvours a determned pclicy of force td obtain i-edreSS for the r'ecent antiJapanese activities and attacks on Japanese nationals. The Japanese Naval commander here has unhesitatingly stated that armed forces would occupy the surl'ounding native distriets, the arsenal and Government buildings, and retain possession until satisfaction is obtained. The British and French military authorities are watching the sitnation with anxiety. The Nanking Government is undecided what to do. A declaration of war is Considered impracticable, owing to lack of sufficient arm.ed forces. A decision is expected momentarily, afid it is beiieVed that it will be along the lihes that the Chinese ai-e prepared to punish those r.esponsible for the attacks dn the Japanese, but that they afe unable to agree to the dissolution of the anti-Japanese Association. |t is fegarded s certaiii that the reply will not be considered satisfactory and that the Japanese will resort to force. ; There was a violent explosion in the vicinity of the Chinese Arsenal this afternoon. The roar was heard for miles and there was widespread window damage throughout Shanghai. Between 30 and 40 Chinese were killed. The accident added considerably to the tenseness prevailing. It appears that the Chinese were transferring explosives from the ihagazines to a lighter, in consequence of the Japanese invasion, when the explosion occurred.