JAPANESE DEFENCE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 June 1938, Page 7

JAPANESE DEFENCE

f DENIAL OF INDISCRIMINATE BOMBING MANY MILITARY STATIONS IN CANTON. BIGGEST DEPOT FOR IMPORT OF MUNITIONS. By Telegraph.—Press Association, Copyright. TOKIO, June 6. The Foreign Office spokesman, Mr. Tatsua Kawai, commenting on the British Ambassador’s urgent protest against the Japanese bombing of .civilian areas and thickly populated centres, vigorously denied indiscriminate bombing. He said Canton was dotted with military and anti-aircraft stations and contained, moreover, the biggest depot for the import of munitions, necessitating bombings which, however, might sometimes affect adjacent places. He reiterated that Japan would not welcome any intervention whatsoever, while mediation depended on its nature. DEFIANT STAND JAPAN NOT INFLUENCED BY PROTESTS. PURSUING “IMMUTABLE POLICY.” (Recd This Day, 9.40 a.m.) TOKIO, June 6. The Dome! News Agency quotes official Japanese sources as considering that English and American protests are unlikely, in the slightest degree, to alter Japan’s “immutable policy.” '• REGRET EXPRESSED. FLIGHT OVER SHAMEEN. (Recd This Day, 9.40 a.m.) CANTON, June 6. The Japanese Consul-General at Hong Kong has acknowledged the protest of the British Consul-General (Mr A. P. Blunt). The Japanese ConsulGeneral said it was regretted that the planes flew over the Shameen and that the pilots must be more careful. CARNAGE IN CANTON OVER 1500 PERSONS KILLED OR INJURED. THOUSAND DWELLINGS DESTROYED. (Recd This Day, 9.35 a.m.) CANTON, Jtme 6. The official list of air raid casualties exceeds 1500 killed and injured. Over 1000 dwellings were destroyed. It was later stated that the dead and maimed exceed a thousand. Bombs created havoc amongst the tightlypacked sampan dwellers on the river. A Red Cross unit next door to the French Hospital laid out forty-five corpses and a neighbouring Y.M.C.A. suffered a high death-roll. RIVAL BASE. JAPANESE PLANS AT AMOY. (Recd This Day, 9.40 a.m.) CANTON, June 6. Japan intends to create a large permanent naval base at Amoy in order to counterbalance the British base at Hong Kong.