Evening star., 1934-06-13
MISSING JAPANESE
OFFICIAL IS FOUND
Located in Cemetery Ready
to Commit Suicide as
Clash Is Averted.
b the Associated Press.

81 the ASsoclhteo FreSs
NANKING, China, June 13.-The
strange case of Etmei Kuramoto, the
Japanese vice consul who disappeared
four days ago, was cleared up today
In time TO avert threatened difficulties
between China and japan.
Krramoto was found sitting IN q
graveyard beside an ancient tomb Of
the Ming dynasty.
He was unkempt, hungry, and un-
interested In the fact that soldiers
and warships had been called out by
two nations because he had strayed.
He told Chinese authorities he had
gone into the cemetery to commit sui
eide because he had failed to achieve
promotion in the Japanese consular
service.
Hunger Prevents Action.
Apparently he had not eaten during
his sojourn and the pangs Of ap-
preaching starvation saved him from
self destruction.
Hunger forced me to hold on to
life," he said.
Japan has informed the Chinese
government ofiicially that 1t would
hold that government responsible for
the safety Of the vice consul who
dropped from sight In Nanking last
Friday.
Japan backed up It's note with war
ships which 1t rushed up to anchor
or Nanking.
The Chinese authorities offered q
reward Of $4,000 Mex ($3,300 United
States), for information leading to
the whereabouts Of Kuramoto.
Farmers Find Oficial.
This afternoon some Chinese farm
ers on the outskirts Of Marking saw
q bedraggled, exhausted man sitting
In the graveyard. They reported the
incident to the police.
Whole detachments Of Chinese sol
diers had been engaged in o house-to-
house canvass of Nanking and near
by villages. The police lost no time
IN hurying squad up to the tombs
Of the Mings.
They identified Kuramoto immedi-
ately.
They took him to police headquar-
ters, examined him, and turned him
over to japanese authorities who re-
fused to comment on the case.
According to the Chinese, Kuramoto
may be returned Immediately to Japan
| for medical observation.
At police headquarters authorities
said Kuramoto stated he slipped away
| to the Ming Tombs to seek death
from starvation or by being eaten
by wolves" Wolves do frequent the
area where the vice consul was found
and the Chinese said that Kuramoto
told them "the wolves came, but did
not eat me-"
Instinct Overcomes VIII.
They said he told them that he hid
in the graveyard, awaiting death, for
| two days, but then hunger grew
stronger than his will and he begged
food from farmers.
| Since Kuramoto speaks fluent Chi
nese the farmers were not aware that
he was Q foreigner and they gave him
eggs. Kuramoto offered his gold cuff
links In payment, but the farmers de-
clined and said he could pay them
later.
To this, Kuramoto was said to have
replied: You will not see me any
/ more"
All this happened before the Ma
tional government offered its reward
for information regarding the miss
ing diplomat.
When the farmers saw newspaper
telling Of the missing man, they re-
called the man they had fed and
went out to seek him. He was seated
not far from where they previously
had seen him.
Whether they viii receive the re-
ward was not Immediately announced
In the last few hours, since Kura-
n1oto's return, the atmosphere In Nan.
king is noticeably easier. Previously
both the Chinese and japanese had
felt that the situation was laden with
danger.