JAPANS REGRET

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20742, 28 February 1939, Page 7

JAPANS REGRET

APOLOGY TO BRITAIN BOMBING IN HONGKONG COMPENSATION PAYMENT (Official Wireless) (Received Feb. 28, 1 p.m.) RUGBY', Feb. 27 The Under Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Mr R. A. Butler, informed the House of Commons at question time that the Japanese had replied to the protest of the British Ambassador regarding the bombing last Tuesday of Hongkong territory, expressing their profound regret that such an incident should have occurred, and assuring the Ambassador that after a strict investigation disciplinary action would be taken against those responsible and appropriate measures be devised to prevent a recurrence of incidents of this kind. Japan had also indicated her intention to arrange through direct negotiations on the spot for the payment of compensation for damage and other matters. Mr Butler added that the Ambassador had informed the Japanese Government that Britain regarded the incident as having been settled on these terms. BRITAIN AND JAPAN AVOIDANCE OF CONFLICT ATROCITIES BY CHINESE (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Feb. 27 Japanese troops are reported to have been ordered to avoid conflict with British soldiers in the International Settlement at Shanghai. The Japanese Foreign Minister, Mr Hachiro Arita, said Japan had never discriminated against aliens, and would not emulate her partners in the anticommunist pact by excluding Jews, who would be treated the same as other foreigners. Three decapitated Chinese heads—one a woman’s —were found impaled on fence poles in the Japanesecontrolled western suburbs of Shanghai. Chinese guerrillas are reported to have declared they carried out the executions and put up the heads as a warning against working for the Japanese. The Japanese at Tientsin have erected barricades and encircled the British and French Concessions with live wires, thus making possible the sudden closing of the exits and entrances. 1034 AEROPLANES LOBT JAPANESE MACHINES DESTROYED CLAIMS BY THE CHINESE / (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyrlg-ht) (Received Feb. 28, 1.30 p.m.) CHUNGKING, Feb. 27 The Chinese Air Force spokesman claimed that the Japanese have lost 1034 aeroplanes since the outbreak of hostilities.