New-York tribune., 1921-01-23
investigator Backs
Action of Japanese
Troops in Corea
Chief of Military Mission,
While Admitting Some In
nocent MenMay Have Been
Slain, Says 1t Was Mistake

TOXIC. Dec. % tBy MaiD.-The text
OF letter written to Canadian mis-
etonaries In Chientao, China. by Colonel
Mizumachi. chief Of Japanese m H.
tary mission which was sent to Chi
entao to investigate charges made bv
the missionaries that the Japanese
: troops had comm tied "diabolical
deeds" IN ind scriminately shooting the
Corean Christians in that district and
burning their schools, churches and
homes, has been received here.
1t says that Colonel Mizumachi not
only warned the Canadians against Civ
ing any assistance to the independence
movement or anti-Japanese sentiment
in Corea, as has already been cabled,
but that he informed them that "such
malicious acts" would be detrimental to
friendly relations between Great Brit
ain and Japan, who are now allied by
treaty.
The Japanese investigator called the
attention of the Canad an missionaries
to what he described as IAN undeniable
fact that there are numerous different
peoples in your own dominions who
frequently plot rebellion against your
government, such as the recent nom
cooperation movement in India
He pointed out to the missionaries
eH0" ChSsoHN dh0 1dpaN were III sim.
liar positions in having racial troub es,
and that therefore cit is advantageous
to US both that we should cooperate
from our heart Of hearts, strictly re-
framing from any words or acts which
may cause harm to either country"
Canadians Warned
In warning Canadians against giving
assistance to the Corean independence q
movement Colonel Mizumachl sa.u that
If they did not refrain from doing so
"the Buddhists in Japan would be able
to find legal reason for giving anti
British ass stance to those beh nd the
non-eooperation movement in India.
The same thing may be applied to the
Irish problem" he added.
The Japanese colonel also referred
to English methods Of dealing with SUBJ
ject peoples by saying that "the utmost
care has been taken since the COM
mencement of operations Gin Chientao) J
that innocent citizens should not be
killed. such as General Dyer did last
year at Amritsar, India"
The Japanese Foreign Office has since
disavowed responsibility for the senti-
ments expressed by the Colonel, has
declared that it had no knowledge of
the latter and that it was the work of
one man.
Colonel Mizumachi endeavored to
show the missionaries the advisability
of supporting the attitude of Japan
toward Corea, He told them in the let
ter that if they refrained from inter-
fering with any political matters, de-
voted themselves strictly to religious
works and to efforts in cooperation
with the Japanese authorities to edu-
cate the Coreans to be loyal subjects of
Japan, he could assure them of the aid
OF the Japanese government and people.
Chinese Accused
"The rise and fall of your work in
and out Of Corea depends solely upon
whether you will cooperate with the
Japanese government or not" he wrote.
The Colonel also undertook to define
the policy of the Chinese government
in Corea, saying: "Tf the Corean PEN
insula should ever be brought under the
influence of any other power than
Japan, it would be the greatest possi-
BILE menace to the national defense Of
to be independent"
He declared that law-defying Corenns
had established their base in the Chen
tao district and, in league with Chinese
bandits, had been driving the 100000
Corean colonists In that district to join
them. Japan, he said, had asked the
Chinese government to control shese
rogues," but the Chinese "did not do
so, but, on the contrary, maintained a
secret understanding with them"
The Japanese investigator expressed
regret that churches and schools had
been burned, but declared they had
been used as "sinks Of iniQuity" by the
Corean malcontents.
Replying to the missionaries charges
that innocent men had been shot down
without trial by the japanese troops,
Colonel Mizumachi wrote:
I'VE regret that there may have been
some innocent ones among those shos,
but. under the circumstances, it has
Leen hardly possible to tell insurgent
from innocent. 1t is unavoidable that
some innocent men might have be.n
executed in mistake. This, however, Of
course. Is against the real will Of the
Japanese army"