Evening star., 1937-12-20
IAPANESESTOR|ES
ON PANAY DIFFER
Foreign Office Spokesman
and Military Leader
at Odds.
- the Associated Press.


TOXIC, Dec. 20-The Japanese
foreign Office spokesman reversed to-
day . previous statement in which he
had denied United States charges that
the gunboat Panay had been fired on
BY japanese river vessels.
He indicated that Japan would plead
self defense for the river boat attack
on the American boat as it was sink
ing under bombardment December II
by Japanese planes, ana would claim
the Panay had changed position on
the Yangtze without sufficient notice
to Japanese.
A foreign Office official had said
yesterday that Japan would reply to
. second American communication
giving details of the attack before
drafting an answer to original Amer
lean demands for amends.
Military Officials Report.
Meanwhile, in Shanghai, the Jap
anese military attache issued a report
on the sinking of the Panay which
contradicted virtually every statement
previously made by American naval
officers and British, italian and Amer
lean survivors.
The report of Maj. Gen. KumaNchi
Harada purported to be "the sum
total of staff officers investigation"
Of the bombing of the Panay and three
Standard Oil Co. vessels December IL.
In conflict with the stories of sur
vivors, Gen. Harada's statement:
l. Denied that japanese Army boats
had fired on the Panay as it was
sinking.
2. Asserted the gunboat was moving
1T the time of the incident when Off
cially 1t had been reported anchored
for more than two hours in the
Yangtze River 81 miles above Nanking
Asked about the foreign Office state
ment. Harada reiterated his own re-
port was based on investigation.
Eyewitnesses Question General.
After the statement was completed,
Gen. Harada answered q barrage of
questions by reporters, who included
three eyewitnesses-Colin Macdonald,
London Times; Weldon James. United
Press, and Luigi Barzini, Italian cor
respondent.
Because the statement was at such
variance with previously reported
facts, one Of the correspondents asked
whether the japanese, the survivors
and the corresr ,ndents were discuss
Ing the same incident.
Gen. Harada earlier today had ex-
pressed to Brig. Gen. John c. Beau
mont, commander of American ma
rines at Shanghai, apologies and deep
regrets on behalf of the japanese
Army.
Gen. Harada made three other
points at variance with the accounts
of the American and foreign eye
witnesses.
First, he said the captain command
ing the japanese unit at Hohsien re-
ported the Panay fired three cannon
at Japanese troops ashore.
Insists Only Planes Attacked.
Secondly, he insisted that only three
warplanes made the attack. Survivors
reported it was made by three bomb
ers followed by six smaller japanese
planes which machine-gunned the
gunboat and Standard Oil ships and
the small boats landing survivors.
Thirdly, he made no mention Of
any machine-gunning from japanese
planes.
Under questioning, however, Gen.
Harada acknowledged he had con-
Quoted his investigation from Nam
king and not at the scene. He con-
ceded also that he had not talked
personally to any of the japanese
officers or troops allegedly involved.
Gen. Harada told questioners also
his investigation still was in progress
and new report might be made if
Toxic were dissatisfied with the first
one.
Reports Army Units Along River.
His report also disclosed that a
number of japanese army units were
along the river on all sides Of Hoh-
sien (where the American survivors
were shepherded), using motor boats,
contrary to previous japanese inves-
legations that reported no japanese
surface craft anywhere in the vicinity
Asked whether he believed any
army unit was at fault in any way,
Gen. Harada replied:
THE company commander does not
believe he was at fault"