ROUND-UP OF SUSPECTS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 August 1940, Page 5

ROUND-UP OF SUSPECTS

ACCORDING TO JAPANESE SPOKESMAN. (Received This Day, 9.10 a.m.) TOKIO, July 31. The Foreign Office spokesman, Mr Suma, said:—“The recent round-up of British espionage suspects was made for the explicit purpose of eliminating all persons and organisations engaged in espionage on the military secrets of the Japanese Empire. It is entirely unreasonable for Britain to make any sort of protest against this country in connection with these arrests. The opinion, to the effect that the recent round-up was insufficiently supported by evidence, is entirely incorrect, for sufficient evidence is in the possession of the competent authorities, but, as the matter is still under investigation, I am not in a position to disclose it. The round-up is entirely justified, for it is a step taken toward those who spied on military secrets which vitally concerned the existence of the Japanese Empire.” NEXT MOVE WITH TOKIO FOLLOWING ON BRITISH PROTEST. (Received This Day, 9.10 a.m.) LONDON, July 31. It is authoritatively stated that the next move, following upon the British protest, lies with the Japanese Government. The position is unlikely to remain static. LATE MR COX AMBASSADOR ATTENDS FUNERAL. INSTRUCTIONS AWAITED FROM LONDON. TOKIO, July 31. The British Ambassador, Sir Robert Craigie, the American Ambassador, Mr Grew, other diplomats and journalistic colleagues attended the funeral of Mr J. M. Cox, from St. Andrew’s Church, Mrs Cox will accompany her husband’s ashes to London, via America. It is learned that while he was conscious after the fall from the window Mr Cox communicated nothing either to Mr Cowley (British Consul-Gener-al) or his wife. Sir Robert Craigie is at present without instructions and is presumably awaiting a decision in London on the disputed arrests. The British Embassy stated that probably isolated arrests of missionaries have been made in Korea. Mr Suma in his statement on behalf of the Foreign Office said, “I don’t know the exact number arrested, but I have reason to believe it is increasing.” He explained that the participation of the Ministry of Justice in the announcement on Monday of the arrests indicated that the Britons might be tried in civilian courts. A former Cabinet Minister, Mr Koiso, who is an advocate of a strong policy of southward expansion, upon his arrival at Aomori en route to inspect Sakhalien said that the Konoye Cabinet would undoubtedly push on with the southward policy. “Before leaving Tokio Premier Konoye told me he agreed with my views,” Mr Koiso said. MURDER IN SOOCHOW. The “Mainichi,” Japanese newspaper in Shanghai, reports that three gunmen shot and killed the mayor of Soochow, Mr Kohb Henkee, and the Japanese have closed the city seeking the assassins. The mayor of Fusiaoen has sent a letter to the Shanghai Municipal Council requesting that the police help to arrest 86 Chinese who are mentioned in the Nanking (pro-Japanese) Government’s blacklist. The council will meet on Thursday and is expected to refuse the request. PROTEST DISREGARDED ACCORDING TO JAPANESE SPOKESMAN. TOKIO, July 31. Mr Suma said that the Government would refuse to consider any British protest against the arrests. It was a mistake to assume that the action was entiely anti-British, since any other persons who engaged in espionage, regardless of their nationality, would be relentlessly dealt with. MORE ARRESTS IN TOKIO & ELSEWHERE. WOMAN OFFICER QUESTIONED IN TIENTSIN. (Received This Day, 10.20 a.m.) LONDON. July 31. It is announced in London that Mr T.

Ely, managing director of a petroleum company in Yokohama, is the latest person to be arrested. The Associated Press of Great Britain Shanghai correspondent reports that Mr Russel Brines, an Associated Press of Great Britain staff member, is held in a Tokio hotel by Japanese military police, apparently for questioning in connection with his despatches on Mr Cox's death and the arrests of British subjects. The Japanese espionage round-up has spread to Tientsin. Japanese gendarmes visited and questioned a woman officer in the British Concession without the permission of the British police, lhe Japanese also questioned Major G. IL Walker,'at Pcitaho.