French consular authorities, on December 26, filed a protest with Japanese officials alleging that a catholic mission at Yamning, near Yamchow, western Kwangtung, had been looted by Japanese troops, on December 12, Lieut-Col. Jiro Saito, Japanese military spokesman in Shanghai, said yesterday. On Friday, he said, he had erroneously announced at a press eon. ference that the French protest referred to the alleged burning of the mission.
Investigations, he added, had shown that the French allegations were without foundation. The mission not only was intact, but was taking care of 300 Chinese refugees. In addition to extending protection to the mission, the Japanese forces were giving facilities to the missionaries to obtain food to feed the refugees, he declared.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.