Mr. Sato said they could not separate the boycott from. political measures taken by the Chinese Gov-fernment, Tt was not merely a ques Mien of driving Japanese, goods from China, but driving out Japanese residents.
He continued: "In Shanghai we have many thousands of Japanese, The Japanese Government is obliged fo protect. its nationals. I know public opinion is, somewbat_ has
troops perhaps public. opinion country. "if Japan withdrew istled, but the Japanese would be exposed to grave danger, perhaps to massacre. No Government could take this Fesponsibility"
Mr. Sato'then referred to events in Nanking' in 1927 when, he said the Japanese suffered equally at the hands of the Chinese authorities, but bore: it with patience. After ing such "an experience, however, they could not allow a repetition of such [happenings in, Shanghai.
Like other Powers, Japan had the tight to send warships to Chinese waters, If the Chinese Government.
able to maintain order, there be no need of foreign warships, but they were obliged to do-fend their own interests,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.