Nanking, Mar. 19, That the Japanese army authorities in China were continuing preparations for the reopening of the Yangtze River was reported today by Gen. Toshizo Nishio, Commander-in-Chief of Japanese Expeditionary Forces to China, in an interview with British and American diplomats, Mr. H. H. Thomas, of the British Embassy in China; Mr. A. G, N. Ogden, British Consul-General ai Nanking and Mr. E, F. Stanton, newly-appointed American Consul at Nanking, called on Gen, Nishio "at 445 o'clock this afternoon, They conferred for half an hour.
The Japanese army desired to reopen the river as soon as possible, Gen. Nishio said. Much danger, however, still exists, he said, because of floating mines which were being released in the upper portion of the stream by the Chungking Government and were floating down the river—Domei,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.