The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-06-24
MEX|CANS WILL NOT GET GUNS FROM LAPS Is Too Busy MaA ing Muni-
 tions for Her As'ies
 FORMAL STATEMENT
STATEMENT
Issued by Foreign Minister Denying Report That Mexicans Were Look ing to East for Supplies-Interest
 in the West Commercial Only
tContinued on page TwoI

Tokio, June 23-"Of course any clain that the Japanese government will assis . Mexicans with munitions and arms is ou of the question and absurd said Baror Ishii, foreign minister, to correspondent of the Associated Press, who asked him today for his views on the Mexican sit. uation. Declarations attributed to Mexi. cans were that assurances had been re- ceived from Japan that munitions and other assistance would be given to Mex. ico in event of war with the United States
 As for private Japanese companies sell. ing arms to Mexicans," the foreign minis ter continued, T consider it extremel, improbable. As you know, all availab ble rifles and guns are being furnished tc
 Japan's allies to assist in bringing the European war to a successful issue And l fancy, though I do not know, tha munitions not available for our allies ma, have found their way to China durns
 the revolutionary troubles"
 SINCERE HOPES FOR PEACE Let me say this will all the emphasis and earnestness at my command," sait the minister. "The Japanese nation sin cerely hopes that armed conflict be- tween the United States and Mexico ma, be avoided. Japan's interest in America North, Central and South, being essential ly pacific and commercial, any even bringing disturbances into the America market would be felt keenly in Japan This is especially true at moment whe, the whole European trade is virtually closed to Japan and the Chinese marke 1 is seriously upset.
 {! Baron Ishii expressed surprise when tn, correspondent referred to Gen. Ramon | Iturbide, representative of General Car ranza, who was reported several week. | ago to be on his way to Japan on ; secret mission.
 1 The baron declared he never had hear,
 of General Iturbide or his projected wis | it. He expressed the opinion that he re l garded the Carranza government as tn | de facto government of Mexico and tha J the usual relations with General Car ranza were being maintained. Japan's in 1 terest in Mexico, he said, were in charg
 of Secretary Ohta, from whom he hat received no advices in regard to the pres ent situation.
 4 Col Manuel Romero recently, appointe, | minister to Japan by General Carranza has reached this country, but has no
 had an audience with the Emperor An,
 idea that the Japanese government wa
 interfering in the Mexican situation, h declared. was as absurd as the idea tha
 munitions were being supplied
 RECEIVED INQUIRIES | The Mitsui company informed repre- sentative of the Associated Press toda
 that it recently received inquiries fror
 it could supply munitions and arms Tn
 company replied that it was physically i'm possible as it had more orders than i
 could fill for the allies of Japan The Mitsui. Rakada and Ekura, tn three largest companies exporting arms
 formed joint intuition corporation be 1 fore the war to purchase munitions iron the government arsenal. which is the onl
 establishment of the kind in Japan. l NJ. c. Tellez. the Mexican charge. as
 serted enphatically today that the Mex ican government had ordered no arm
 and munitions in Japan and that no ne
 gotiatonS for such supplies were unde way.
 The last Mexican transaction in la
 (C0ntinued on Page Three)