Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1936, The Far East, Volume IV

793.94/7668: Telegram

The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State

Peiping, January 16, 1936—4 p.m.
[Received January 16—11:10 a.m.]

21. 1. Conversations continue at Tientsin with Sung, Hsiao Chen Ying,³² Doihara, Tada³³ and others participating. Developments are kept secret.

2. Various Japanese observers express the opinion that Yin Ju Keng’s area³⁴ will not be merged with the Hopei-Chahar Political Council until the latter reaches a degree of autonomy comparable to that of the former.

3. It is reported in the press that Sugiyama, Vice Chief of Staff at Tokyo, will shortly visit Manchuria and North China. The informant mentioned in the Embassy’s despatch 3235 of January 4, 1935,³⁵ states that Sugiyama is one of the four or five most influential Japanese military officers and that his primary purpose is to study the Government of China situation from the viewpoint of a possible Russian military advance. The informant states that Japanese military officers believe that Russia is preparing to attack Manchukuo through Outer Mongolia, an opinion which the informant does not hold, and that therefore the Japanese military are now more interested in Chahar and Suiyuan than in other parts of North China. He said that Doihara will remain in Tientsin to advise Sung until March when he will be transferred to Japan to command a brigade. He also states that the Japanese are still dissatisfied with Sung.

To Tokyo by mail.

Johnson

32. Mayor of Tientsin.
33. Maj. Gen. Hajao Tada, commanding the Japanese North China garrison.
34. East Hopei demilitarized districts.
35. Not printed.