Japanese Minister-at-large, who will act as chief Jupanese representative at the forthcoming conversations, bad three interviews in rapid succession with key Foreign Ministry officials after his arrival from Tientsin by train this morning. Immediately after reaching Tokyo Station early this morning, Mr. Kato drove io the Foreign Ofüce where he was closeted with Mr. Renzo Sawada, with his passport, The incident occurred when Mr. John Anderson, young Tientsin-born Briton attached to the staff of the "Peking ¿nd Tientsin Times," was crossing the barrier at Woodrow Wilson Street with the intention of proceeding into the ex-German Concession.
Mr. Anderson, who lives in the British Concession, was on his way to see his widowed mother, wha lives in the ex-German Concession, id whom he had not seen for some Vice-Minister of Foreign Affai Mr. Hikozo Tanaka, senior Japanese Consul in Tientsin, who also arrived here today was present at this meeting.
At 11.30 o'clock this morning, after a brief visit to' his home, Mr. Kato again visited the Foreign Office where he conferred with Mr. She Kurihara, director of the East Asiatic Affairs Bureau. Mr, Kato was to call on the Foreign Minister, Mr. Hachiro Arita, this evening.—Domei, time. He showed his passport to a Chinese policeman at the barrier, who handed it to a Japanese officer.
The officer ordered Mr. Anderson to take off his hat, "because it is impolite to talk with your hat on." Mr, Anderson complied immediately. Asked whether he could speak Chinese, Mr. Anderson replied in the affirmative.
He was ordered to take off his glasses, and eventually was told to strip to his B.V.D.'s. He complied in a good-natured manner.
The officer said:—"You think because you are British you need not be afraid."
He slapped Mr. Anderson twice across the face with his passport, and threw it to the ground among Mr. Anderson's clothes. Mr. Anderson was permitted to dress, and to pass the barrier.
Later in the afternoon, he returned through another of the barrier without being molested.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.