Evening star., 1940-02-08
Chinese Planning
Air Raids on Japan,
Toxic Official Says
Defense Preparations Are
Being Token Throughout
Western Nippon
BY the Associated Press.


Western Nippon
BY the Associated Press.
TOXIC, Feb. 8.-There are "defl.
mite grounds" for reports that the
Chinese plan air raids on Japan, q
spokesman for the Japanese navy
said today as newspapers declared
that defense precautions were being
taken throughout the western part
of the country.
The spokesman refused to give
further details on the plea of mill
tary secrecy. It was learned that
military authorities believed such
raids possible, but there was no
official nervousness"
Similar reports in Shanghai were
described by various foreign mill
tary men as propaganda aimed at
taking the minds of the Japanese
public off domestic troubles"
Deny China Has Capable Planes.
These observers, all widely-trav-
eled in the interior of China. and
familiar with the extent of Chinese
equipment, said China does not
possess q single aircraft capable OF
reaching Japan from present Chi
nese bases with a cargo of bombs"
Kyushu, southernmost Of the main
islands of Japan, is about 500 miles
from the China coast at the nearest
point and 200 or 300 miles more
from the nearest possible point OF
departure for Chinese bombing
squadron.
The Chinese air force made a
1,2OO-mile round trip, however, on
February %, 1888, to bomb the
japanese owned island Of Formosa.
which is about TOO miles south OF
Kyushu. japanese and Chinese
sources disagreed on the extent OF
damage and the number Of planes
involved in that raid, which was not
repeated.
Railway Bombing Defended.
The Japanese Navy spokesman
who commented on the air raid pos
sibility said also that "it does not
stand to reason that the United
States should make representations
against recent bombing of the
French-operated railroad in the
South China province of Kwangsi.
"One- third Of the resistance
power" OF China is supplied over that
line, he said, and Japan already has
informed France that the attacks
would be continued as long as arms
were shipped to China over that
route.
In the Lower House of the Japa-
nese Diet, Masazumi Ando, member
of the prominent Seiyukai party,
declared today, Japan as the lead
ing nation Of Eastern Asia must
station armed forces in and under
take the economic exploitation of
China in the form of Chinese
japanese investment"
Apprehensive Over Wang.
At the same time, Ando voiced the
first semi official apprehension that
the proposed Japanese-sponsored
government of China under Wang
Ching-we might not bring an early
end to the 31-month-old Chinese
incident"
If Japan assists new regime, he
said, 1T must be through economic
cooperation and the stationing Of
armed forces Such situation will
conflict with the contentious Of
Wang Ching-wei."
He asked that the government
publish details of its agreement
with Wang Ching-wei Ito remove
apprehension Of the people"
In reply Gen. Shunroku Hata,
minister Of war, said, Military op-
erations prevent explanation of the
number of troops to be stationed
Gin China) for maintenance of peace
and order.
However, it is the intention Of
the government to give Wang
Ching-wei's administration assist
ance in military affairs as much as
possible"
New Exchanges with Russians.
An army spokesman said there
had been two exchanges OF fire re-
Gently between troops on the Man
chukuoan-Outer Mongolia border,
where intermittent warfare was end
ed last September 16 in an armistice
between Japan and Soviet Russia.
The spokesman declared scores of
illegal Soviet entries" had taken
place along the border in the vicin-
ity Of Nomonhan Hill, center of
heavy fighting in the Japanese Rus
sian border dispute last summer.
The Japanese Army regards set
tlement Of the border differences as
"a difficult question" the spokes-
man asserted, despite optimistic
statements by Foreign Minister
Hachiro Arita.
Settlement is possible if the Rus
slams change their attitude" he de-
clared. Otherwise it will be diff
| cult"
Japan and Russia announced Feb
ruary ! that joint commission es-
tablished to fix a definite boundary
between Japanese-dominated Man
chukuo and Sovietized Outer Mon
golia had abandoned its efforts be-
cause of failure to reach q basis for
an understanding.