Tokyo, Nov. 14.
EPLIES to the British, French and American Notes of November 7, requesting that the Yangtze be reopened to free navigation, were delivered to the Ambassadors of the three Powers in Tokyo today.
They express the view that the time has not yet arrived to warrant a general reopening of the Yangtze, and contend that navigation is only possible for military purposes.
Navigation of the river by commercial vessels, the replies assert, would seriously hamper Japanese military operations.
Chinese guerillas, they add, infest the Yangtze areas and frequently attack Japanese ships, while mines are frequently laid, making navigation of the river very -dangerous.—
Reuter.
Tokyo, Nov. 14.
Japan has mo intention of deliberately hampering third Power navigation and commerce on the Yangtze, but for various military reasons the time has not yet arrived for opening the river, the Japanese Government today notified England, France and the United States in separate replies.
The notes were not identical consequently Japan's' replies were not couched in exactly the same terms. A spokesman of the Foreign Office disclosed the contents of the notes in a statement to newspaper men.
Five reasons for the' Japanese Governments attitude in declining to open the river to free naviga-lion by vessels of third Powers were set forth in the replies.
Booms constructed by Chinese troops at Kiangyin, the replies declared, had been removed by Japanese forces only to such a degree as would permit movements of military vessels and the river there was "fully occupied" by Japanese warships and transports.
Large-scale military operations still were going on up-stream from Hankow and the river between Shanghai and interior points formed an important avenue of communications, the replies continued. Consequently free navigation by merchant vessels in that part of the river would seriously impede Japanese military operations.
A third reason enunciated was
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