393.1163 Nantungchow/33
The American Embassy in Japan to the Japanese Ministry for Foreign Affairs
The American Embassy presents its compliments to the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and has the honor to refer to the damage to American mission property at Nantungchow on August 17, 1937, as a result of Japanese military operations.
This case was orally brought to the attention of the Foreign Office on August 20, 1937, by Mr. Coville44a in converstion with Mr. Yoshizawa, and on that occasion a copy of a telegram on this subject from the American Consul General at Shanghai was left with Mr. Yoshizawa. Mr. Coville was informed at that time that the protest of the American Consul General at Shanghai to the Japanese Consul General at Shanghai had been received by the Foreign Office.
On August 20, 1937, the Senior Aide to the Japanese Navy Minister expressed regret to the Assistant Naval Attaché of this Embassy and gave his assurances that the bombing of the American mission at Nantungchow had not been deliberate.
A memorandum on this case dated November 24, 1937,45 was handed informally to Mr. Suma, Counselor of the Japanese Embassy at Washington, [Page 591] by the then Assistant Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs in the Department of State, Mr. Hamilton,45a on November 30, 1937, in response to the initiative which Mr. Suma had taken on August 25, 1937, in bringing up this case. Mr. Suma at that time referred to the way in which an informal settlement had been effected of the damage to American mission property at Tungchow, near Peiping, and said that he thought the present case might be handled in the same manner.
In addition to the foregoing, various conversations have since been held on this case between members of this Embassy and members of the American Bureau of the Foreign Office.
According to information received from the American Consul General at Shanghai, Mr. C. A. Burch of the United Christian Missionary Society, who proceeded to Nantungchow to make an investigation, stated in a sworn statement that, during an air raid which occurred at ten-thirty on the morning of August 17, 1937, four two-winged hydroaeroplanes described by witnesses as bearing the “Red Sun” insignia on the wings flew low over the mission property and dropped a number of bombs, one of which was believed to be incendiary, on the hospital and other mission buildings causing extensive damage.
Acting under instructions from its Government, the American Embassy expresses the earnest hope that, in view of the long period which has elapsed, assurances will be given that this matter will be settled promptly.