Tokyo, Sept. 21.
'APAN today declined the invitation of the Council of the League of Nations to accept the obligations of membership in the Geneva body, under Article 17 of the Covenant, for settlement of the Sino-Japanese dispute, This decision was reached at this: afternoon's Cabinet meeting, when Gen. Kazushige Ugaki, Foreign Minister, presented before his colleagues the draft of an answer to the League of Nations prepared -by the Gaimusho.
Following approval of the Note, the Cabinet also discussed the main points of an expose of Japan's position which will be made public by the Foreign Office simultaneous with the sending of the refusal to Geneva, Action of the Cabinet along this line was generally expected.
'Joint assistance to China by League members or application of sanctions airist Japan would be "impossible," a spokesman of the Foreign Ofiee said' today.
Replying to foreign correspondent this morning, the spokesman of the Foreign Ellice stated he did not expect the League of Nations would apply sanctions against Japan, Well-informed circles here pointed out that the invocation of Article 17 of the Lengue Covenant: would auto matically involve the application of Article 10 whether the League would like it or not, though moat members of the League of Nations had taken the view that the said article optional provision.
Vapan would be prepared to take proper steps towards those countries which would adopt measures of sane tions either singly or jointly, regard-Ing. it as on unfriendly act, these circles in Tokyo declared—Dome.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.