THREE DEMANDS BY JAPAN

Southland Times, Issue 24230, 13 September 1940, Page 5

THREE DEMANDS BY JAPAN

Negotiations Carried On In Indo “China

FRENCH MAY APPEAL TO UNITED STATES

(United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright)

(Received September 12, 6.30 p.m.)

SINGAPORE, September 11.

People arriving from Indo-China report that the Japanese demands are:— (1) Three air bases in Tongking, with 8000 personnel each.

(2) The use of Camranah Bay naval base.

(3) The passage of 60,000 troops through Tongking.

It is declared that the Governor, General de Coux, is holding out against the Japanese, but cannot do so much longer because of pressure from the Vichy Government.

One report says that General de Coux has already agreed to the establishment of three aerodromes with a personnel of 1000 each and to the passage of 20,000 troops. Another report is that General de Coux has sent three telegrams to the President of the United States, Mr

Franklin D, Roosevelt. The contents are not known, but it is “believed, that he pointed out Indo-China’s critical position, especially as 95 per cent, of the population is opposed to the Vichy Government and< is for General de Gaulle.” A message from Hanoi states that French circles are hopefully turning to the United States since the statement of the Secretary of State (Mr Cordell Hull) on Indo-China. Negotiations have been virtually suspended apparently pending furflier Tokyo instructions. However General de Coux and Admiral Nishihara continue to dine together. Captain Chudoh, head of the Japanese naval delegation, commenting on Mr Hull’s statement, said that not only the Japanese Navy, but the entire nation, desired that the United States should confine its actions and words to its own hemisphere, leaving Japan free in the Orient. He added that the navy’s interest in the negotiations included naval bases and aerodromes. In Shanghai Mr Wang Ching-wei’s political police headquarters sent the following letter to Chungking’s Chinese judges in the International Settlement courts: “Since the British troops have been withdrawn and the Americans are no longer important, we advise you to join us within a week, otherwise your lives will be worthless.”