Japan may resort to "effective and suitable measures to stop all importation of arms and ammunition into China," a statement by the Japanese Government released in Shanghai yesterday revealed.
This statement, which has already been published in Tokyo, was read at a press conference by a spokesman for the Japanese Embassy.
At present, however, the declaration of Admiral Kiyoshi Hasegawa, commander-in-chief of the Japanese Third Fleet, regarding the closing of traffic along the Chinese coast {rom Shanghai to Swatow, did not apply to the vessels of third Powers, the statement emphasized.
Foreign vessels, the statement added, may be inspected by Japan ese naval authorities bent upon ascertaining the true nationality of such ships.
The statement in full was follows:
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.