Evening star., 1938-07-17
JAPAN TO ALLOW
AMERICANS BACK
IN OCCUPIED AREA
Gradual Return Promised by
Foreign Minister in Note
to Envoy.
PROPERTY IN CHINA
INVOLVED IN PROTEST
Toxic Reserves Right to Decide
When Conditions Permit
'Reinfltration.'
BACKGROUND

oAS n 1noOND-
Japanese inUasion OF China has
forced American businessmen and
missionaries to flee homes and
places OF business in North China
and Yangtse Valley. Ambassador
Joseph c. Gre,D in Toxic has pro-
tested frequently against refusal
to permit them to return since sone
OF ,1dr shifted to Central China.
japanese government has indicated
previously its willingness to permit
selected number OF Americans to
return to their posts.
Ey the Associated Press.
The State Department announced
last night that Japan had promised to
allow gradual return OF Americans to
their properties in japanese occupied
Chinese territory.
japanese authorities reserved the
right, however, to decide whether ac-
tual conditions in any given area war
ranted the return of United States
citizens there.
The policy Of permitting slow
American reinfiltration was explained
by Foreign Minister Kazushige Ugaki
in note to Joseph c. Grew, the
American Ambassador to Toxic. It
said that although all possible would
be done to meet American expecta-
tons on the subject the American and
japanese views on re-entry were
Fundamentally divergent"
Protests by United States.
The note. dated July 6, replied to
Ambassador Crews protests of May
81, in which he contended:
l. That despite cessation of fight
ing in Shanghai the American Baptist
University there had been occupied
continuously by japanese troeps since
last August, and that The troops had
damaged and looted the property.
2. That Japanese troops had pre-
vented the return Of american busi-
nessmen and missionaries to their sta
tons in the lower Yangtze Valley,
either for re-establishment of resi-
dence of checkup on damage to their
properties and stocks.
3. That missionaries had been ex-
cluded from stations along the lower
Yangtze even though japanese troops
had evacuated them.
In reply, Minister Ugaki promised
that japanese troops would be with
drawn from the University of Shang-
hal on July S. He said the school
could not be reoccupied. however, I'M
til mo hindrance to military opera
tions" might ensue
The japanese foreign Office asked
the State Department to announce
simultaneously with publication of the
note that troops had withdrawn from
the university on July S.
The withdrawal was with the stipu-
lation that the damage incurred be-
cause of its occupation by japanese be
given further consideration.
Protection Problems Cited.
Mr. Ugaki said the presence In
the lower Yangtze Valley of rem
nants' of defeated Chinese soldiers
made the police of the Japanese con-
sulates insufficient to protect nations
of third countries.
Although about 300 japanese civ
ilians were living in Nanking, Mr..
Ugaki said, they were subject to fire.
quent violence, robbery, etc." at the
hands Of "1awless" Chinese. Under
the law of public order. he continued,
it was extremely difficult to permit
Americans to return to such places.
He reported that IS permits had
been issued to American missionaries
and physicians to re-enter Marking
He said the Standard Oil and Texas
Companies had received one permit
each, and that IA missionaries had
been authorized to return to Soochow
Though American consular records
at Shanghai showed only 20 permits,
1t was said the discrepancy appar-
emily was due to the fact that a num-
Der of Americans had obtained their
permits directly from the Japanese
authorities.