Japanese to Respect All Foreign Interests Tokyo, Sept. 15, "It is necessary that every effort should be put forth to make third Powers stop giving assistance to China," the Premier, Prince Ayamaro Konoye, declared in a press interview today on board a train en route to Tokyo after a conference with Prince Kimmochi Saionji, only surviving genro, at Gotemba.
"The Japanese Government will adhere to its principle of respecting the vested rights and interests of third Powers in China, and has no intention of excluding European and American countries from China," the Premier said.
The Japanese Government will issue a statement shortly, before or atter the fall of Hankow, "branding the Chiang Kai-shek regime as a provincial administration," Prince Konoye revealed.
He disclosed also that an agreement had been reached by government officials for strengthening the tripartite anti-Comintern Pact Domei.
In a wide nut-cracker movement, aimed at Shangeheng, southern extremity of the Chinese defence triangle in south-eastern Honan province, two Japanese columns were converging yesterday on the strategically important walled city along the northern edge of the Tapieh mountain range, Domei dispatches from the front indicated, One Japanese wing, the reports; stated, was 15 kilometres north-east of Shangcheng, while another was 25 kilometres to the south-east.
The northern column, in possession of Shangshihkiao, was engaged in shelling Chinese positions at Nanszuchu four kilometres to the south, Where trenches have been dug along the banks of the Chu River.
Threat to Retreat To the south, another column was nearing Sushihshan, threatening to cut off the retreat of the Chinese troops deployed between Fangkiatsi and Shangcheng. According to aerial observation, about 600 Chinese troops were retreating across hills towards. Tengkiatsi, about eight kilometres east of Shangcheng, from various positions further east, the reports stated.
Meantime, on the southern bank of the Yangtze, Japanese troops were closing in upon Aikow, a pivotal point in the Chinese defence of Tehan.
In a night attack, Japanese troops seized Sankiashan, three kilometres north of Aikow, at 1220 o'clock on Thursday morning, after putting to fight about 5,000 Chinese troops, reports from Kiukiang stated, In Shansi, Japanese troops seized Chuntu, historic Yellow River crossing point into Shensi at 10 o'clock on Tuesday morning belated reports from Shihchiachwang said. The Chinese retreated abandoning 300 dead.
Japanese Push On Japanese flying columns were pushing westward in Haman yesterday in pursuit of Chinese troops retreating from Fangkiatsi, which was completely occupied on Wednesday after Severe fighting, according to a Domei dispatch from the front on Wednesday night, Chinese troops were falling back from Fangkiatsi in south-eastern Honan toward Kwokiatsi after damaging the highway in an effort "tò slow up the Japanese pursuit, Other Japanese units operating on the left wing were advancing on Hsiwan after completing a mopping-up drive against Chinese stragglers in the area west of the 800-metre hill ahd near Fuchinshan and Hwayenshan, Complete occupation of Fangkiatsi climáxed a drive of several Japanese detachments against Chinese positions defending Shangcheng in the form of a triangle linking Changpailing, Fang-kiaotsi and Sushanshih. A concerted drive was launched at midnight on Tuesday and at 8 o'clock on Wednesday morning the Japanese troops were in complete possession of the town after several hours of bloody fighting.
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