793.94/1792
The Consul at Mukden ( Vincent ) to the Minister in China ( Johnson )2
Sir: I have the honour to submit for the information of the Legation a brief account of the execution of the Japanese army captain, Nakamura, and his party between Taonan and Solun, by Chinese soldiers.3 The details of the incident were given me by Mr. Hayashi, Japanese Consul General at Mukden.
Early in June Captain Nakamura obtained from the Mukden Special Delegate of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs a “huehao” for travel in Manchuria. This “huchao” excluded the territory between Taonan and Solun (Hsingan Colonization Area) from travel by the Captain. At Harbin, however, a second “huchao” was secured which, according to the Japanese Consul General, gave the desired permission to travel in the Taonan-Solun area.
Captain Nakamura conducted “investigations” along the Chinese Eastern Kailway at Manchuli, Tsitsihar, Angangohi, and Hailar. He secured the services of a Mongolian and a Russian interpreter, and also that of a Japanese named Isugi, a retired Japanese army sergeant who kept an inn at Angangchi. This party of four left Pokotu on the Chinese Eastern Railway about the middle of June, their immediate destination being Taonan. On June 27th the party were arrested by Chinese troops at a place called Suokungfu, a small place east of Solun between that town and Chalaite Wangfu. Although the place and manner of execution have not yet been fully established, it is believed that the party were taken to Solun where they were shot on July 1st and subsequently burned. The execution was carried out [Page 2] by order and in the presence of Kuan Yu-heng, commanding the 3rd Regiment of the Hsingan Reclamation Army during the absence in Mukden of Colonel Chao Kuan-wu, the regular commander.
Japanese suspicions were aroused when the party failed to appear at Taonan at the scheduled time. Japanese newspapers in Manchuria were the first to secure rumours of the fate of the party. After the appearance of a news report about July 15th, the Japanese took steps to suppress all accounts of the incident pending a thorough investigation. For this reason it was not until August 17th that the first newspaper account of the execution appeared in the Manchurian papers.
Consul General Hayashi has within the past few days taken up the case with General Tsang Shih-yi, Chairman of the Liaoning Provincial Government. He is demanding an indemnity, apology, punishment of the responsible Chinese army officers, and assurance of future protection. General Tsang Shih-yi has expressed a readiness to comply with these demands. Mr. Hayashi has confidence in his sincerity but very little in his ability to enforce execution of his orders.
Mr. Hayashi assured me that the negotiations were entirely in his hands in spite of rumours to the effect that the Japanese military authorities were to interfere in securing a settlement. He deplored the attitude of military officials, mentioning a call which Major Mori, a Japanese army officer, had made upon General Tsang Shih-yi on July 17th. Major Mori is of the Japanese General Staff Office and was sent to Mukden by the Japanese Army apparently to investigate the case. He informed General Tsang Shih-yi of how seriously the Japanese Army viewed the incident and gave out the following report:
“In dealing with so serious a case, nice diplomatic courtesies could not satisfy the Japanese Army, and I am here to see for myself what amount of sincerity is shown by the Chinese side handling the case. It goes without saying that, once we are satisfied of lack of sincerity on the Chinese side, the Japanese side might enforce its demand”.
This incident is believed to be the first in the history of Sino-Japanese relations where a Japanese army officer has been arrested and executed by the order of Chinese military authorities. The Japanese press in Manchuria is making much of the incident and Mr. Hayashi tells me that the outspoken indignation of the military authorities in Japan is exciting the Japanese populace. He did not indicate what action might be taken in the event the Chinese did not meet the demands he has presented but I was led to believe that he is seriously concerned over the effect which protracted negotiations might have on Japanese feelings.
[Page 3]In discussing the general Sino-Japanese situation in Manchuria, Mr. Hayashi did not try to minimize its seriousness. He stated that while that portion of Japanese public opinion which was demanding a “strong policy” in Manchuria did not represent a majority of the people, nevertheless irritation with Chinese tactics and Foreign Office policy was growing, particularly among the members of the military party and the Japanese residents in Manchuria. The Japanese authorities in Manchuria were taking every precaution to avoid a conflict in Manchuria but the possibility of some unexpected Sino-Japanese conflict developing into an incident of major importance forced them to view the situation with grave concern.
Very respectfully yours,
- Copy transmitted to the Department by the Consul in his despatch No. 29, August 20; received September 14.↩
- For summary of the Nakamura incident, see League of Nations, Appeal by the Chinese Government, Report of the Commission of Enquiry (C. 663. M. 320. 1932. VII, Geneva, October 1st, 1932), pp. 63 ff.↩