Shimonoseki, June 20.
A thousand Chinese planes have been shot down by Japanese aircraft in North China since the start of hostilities, it was estimated today by Lieut-Gen. Takamasa Izeki, who has just returned from Korea after a tour of North China.
He also estimated that the Chinese troops suffered 1,000,000 casualties in North China since the beginning of the conflict.
"In February and March the activities of Chinese planes in North China reached a climax," Lieut-
Gen. Izeki said, "but now they to have petered out.
"This may be due to lack of assistance from the Powers. Reckless tactical actions of Chinese soldiers have not affected the high morale of the Japanese forces."
Lieut-Gen. Izeki praised the Japanese artillery forces, which he had contributed greatly to the army's success. He said foreign made arms of good quality had been found among captured Chinese equipment; these weapons were not as good, however, as the ones used by the Japanese, he added—Domei.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.