Tokyo, June 20.
Questioned regarding the situation in Manchuria as far as. the Customs is concerned authoritative! quarters here told Reuter to-day that the Japanese Government had authority over the Customs! officials there, Consequently, they declared, Mr. Fukumoto, "the Commissioner of! Customs st Dairen, must decide on his own initiative whether to. obey' the request of the Manchukeuo authorities "at Changchun to. cease remitting funds to" Shanghai, whether to continue remitting them.
The hope is expressed, that he will act ina manner which Mi cause as little. embesrrassment possible to the Japanese Govern-int, but whatever happens, it ly ted, Japan has no intention. of The "Yokohama Specie Bank id to be considerably embarrassed, it apparently fears" that. the Chinese Government may order the closure of its branches in China and the seizure of its Customs fonds if Mr. Fukumoto instructs Daien branch, where the Cus toms receipts are deposited, iz them to the office of the Inspector. General of Customs at Shanghai.
Emphasising that Japan, like the other erelitors of China, "is interested in the continuance of" the service of debts secured on the Customs, a spokesman of the Government "expressed confidence that, the Manchukuo authorities would continue to ensure. the pi men of this service despite their! claim to Customs autonomy.
It is thought in some circles that failure to remit Customs revenue from Dairen to Nanking must! inevitably raise the question of the resent status of the Kwangtung ased Territory, that is, whether Japanese now regards the Terri. tory as leased from "Manchaku or whether she still considers. the Chinese Government to be the!
On these points there has so far been no comment in official circles. In addition the attitude of the Japanese Goverment towards the Customs in "Manchukuo" itself hes not been clarified—Renter,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.