The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-03-05
JAPAN IS MASSINC
 CLOSE TO FRONTIER
Troops By Thousands Very Near Frontier Of French
 IndO-C China
BY JOHN b. MORRIs

bx JOHN hs MOkHlS
 United Press Staff Correspondent
 Shanghai, March s. UP)-Japan massed an army on the Gulf of Tongking within a few miles of the French 1ndo-C China frontier today in what Japanese dispatches called one of the greatest surprise landing operations in military history.
 A new Japanese expeditionary force was landed along a stretch of more than 250 miles between the mouth of the Pearl river, opposite British Hong Kong, and the Indo- China border in apparent readiness to back up a new ultimatum to France for immediate acceptance of Japans Thailand-French Indo- China peace terms.
 Japanese troops, starting at dawn yesterday, landed at and occupied KWonghoi, Yeungkong, Tingpak, Shutting, the entire Luichow Penin- sula which separates the South China Sea from the Gulf of Tong king and the city of Pakhoi, on the shores of the Gulf.
 At the same time a formidable Japanese battle fleet, numbering about 100 warships in all, was re- proted steaming down the China coast toward the area.
 10000 Troops Massed. | The Chinese governments Chung king radio, in @ special broadcast, charged that 10000 Japanese troops and strong naval units had been concentrated on Hainan Island dominating the Gulf of Tongking.
 It asserted that Japanese experts were preparing Yulin Harbor on the South China coast as @ submarine base and that with the aid of Ger man and Italian technical advisers, Japan was transforming the Wal chow, Spartley and Paracels Islands into naval and air bases for push Southward.
 The Waichow Islands are off the South China coast. The Paracels Islands are 160 miles south of Hai- nan Island and the tiny Spratley group is about equal distant from Indo- China, Borneo and the Philip pines.
 Soon after Tokyo disclosed that Japan had demanded final French answer during the day on It's peace terms, Japanese news agency dis patches disclosed that the Japanese had landed an expeditionary force at least six points on the coast of ChinaS Kwangtung Province, ad- joining Indo-China.
 It was revealed that the landing had been started at dawn yester- day, ostensibly for the purpose of closing one of the few remaining overland supply routes for China.
 The Japanese made their landing suddenly as a surprise movement and at once, 1t was indicated, es. tablished their main base at Pak- hoi, 75 miles from the Indo- China border and 160 miles from the city of Haiphong, chief port of North ern 1ndo-C China.
 They at once completely occupied the Pakhoi area.
 Consolidate Landings
 Japanese dispatches disclosed further that for the first time dur ing all the Japanese Chinese war, the Japanese army authorities in consolidating their landing on the coast formally placed occupied areas under Japanese military adminis- tration.
 The Japanese commander in chief in Q public statement expressed the hope" that "as signal of a request for Japanese protection" all inhabitants of the occupied area, including foreigners as well as Chinese, roist the flag of the Man. king regime which Japan set up in an attempt to undermine the position of the Chinese government.
 Chinese dispatches asserted that Japan was moving a great naval fleet down the the coast presumably to back up Its new expeditionary force or independently to overrawe Indo- China.
 One hundred Japanese warships were reported to have steamed southward along the coast of Flu kien Province, immediately north of Kwangtung Province, Monday and yCoeSt0ty
 Some of the ships, 1t was reported, continued southward while others concentrated in Fukien waters.
 These reports were backed up by earlier dispatches which had2 re- ported a Japanese fleet moving southward of Chekiang Province, which is above Kukien.
 Chinese dispatches reported also that Chinese shore batteries had sunk mad unidentified Japanese warship Feb. 27 when 1t attempted to land troops near Wenchow, on the Chekiang coast.
 No Mediation London, March 5.-(UP)--Japan disclaimed airy intention of offer ing to mediate in the European war In note handed to Prime Minis ter Winston Churchill yesterday by Japanese Ambassador Mamoru Shi- geinitsu, authoritative quarters dis closed today.
 A British spokesman remarked