793.94/12482
The American Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs (Hirota)
Excellency: I have the honor to refer to my note no. 866, of January 17, 1938, and, under instructions from my Government, to inform Your Excellency that numerous complaints are being received by the American Government of the utter disregard shown by Japanese armed forces in China for American property. Among such cases are:
Soochow: According to American missionaries who visited Soochow a number of times between November 21 and December 21, on November 24 they found that property of the Baptist Mission had been broken into and thoroughly looted, and they observed Japanese soldiers looting the ladies’ home and school buildings. On the same day these missionaries inspected the American Presbyterian Mission Hospital, saw one building burning, and found that the administration building had been looted. They inspected the Methodist Episcopal Mission Hospital, and found that the lower floor of the doctor’s residence had been looted, and saw Japanese soldiers engaged in looting the upper floor. On November 26 they inspected property of the American Church Mission in company with Japanese officers detailed by military headquarters, and they saw three Japanese soldiers on the premises engaged in looting. They inspected Soochow Academy property and found the principal’s and treasurer’s offices thoroughly looted, and all safes and filing cabinets broken open. They found also that one foreign residence had been thoroughly looted, and that the Church had been broken into and vestments looted or strewn about in great disorder. On December 1 they found Japanese soldiers in the treasurer’s office in the Yates Academy, trying to break open the safe. On visiting the office the following day they found that the safe had been broken open. They also saw soldiers loading loot from Baptist residences and school buildings.
According to Bishop Arthur J. Moore, in charge of the missions of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in China, who had visited Soochow, where the Mission has large holdings, including Soochow University and Laura Haygood School for Girls, all the buildings had been looted, four buildings had been bombed, and Japanese were occupying other buildings, using the new chapel of Laura Haygood School for Girls as a stable.
Hangchow: Reports from missionaries at Hangchow indicate that on December 26 Japanese soldiers entered three American residences, on which American flags were flying and on which American consular proclamations and notices issued by the Japanese military police had been posted, and stole money, jewelry, and other articles. On December 27 Japanese soldiers again entered the same residences and stole property.
In calling Your Excellency’s attention to these and other numerous depredations, I am instructed to say that my Government finds it [Page 579] impossible to reconcile these lawless acts directed against American mission properties with the assurances repeatedly given by the Japanese Government that American rights and interests in China will be fully respected by the armed forces of the Japanese Government. It appears that these incidents have occurred with the knowledge, and some indeed in the presence, of Japanese officials, while others, such as the occupancy of mission properties by Japanese troops, were presumably by the express direction of military officers. Arbitrary entry and occupation, together with pilfering, looting, and wanton destruction of property, can in no sense be regarded as acts of a character to be expected from a properly controlled military organization. My Government assumes that the Japanese Government in no wise approves or condones such lawlessness, and expects assurances from the Japanese Government that it will take immediate and specific steps to put an end to the depredating of American properties and that it will make full and complete indemnification for all losses and damages inflicted.
I avail myself [etc.]