393.1163 American Church Mission/14: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 27—5 a.m.]
570. Our 534, November 12, 1 p.m.,8 American Church Mission. The following is text in translation of the reply of the Foreign Office: [Page 382]
“No. 143, American 1, confidential. Tokyo, November 25, 1937 memorandum. The Japanese Foreign Office has the honor to acknowledge the receipt of memorandum of November 12th from the United States Embassy in Tokyo stating that on November 2nd the property of the American Church Mission at Sungkiang was bombed and destroyed by Japanese airplanes. Investigation of the matter by Japanese authorities discloses that, when Japanese naval planes bombed various military establishments of the Chinese Army at Sungkiang, those engaged in the action were duly solicitous of the rights and interests of foreign powers, but that as the day was rainy, visibility was low and any beacons or marks indicating the property of Americans were not distinguishable from the air. At that time the Japanese Army had advanced to the Soochow–Honan area and Sungkiang was within the zone of fighting; and it is believed that the United States Embassy will understand that mishaps are possible in spite of the strictest caution. It is clear that the present case was wholly the result of an error consequent upon low visibility. The Japanese Government hereby expresses profound regret for the occurrence and has the honor to state that it stands ready to give consideration to the matter of loss or damage thereby sustained by the mission.”
Repeated to Shanghai.
- Not printed.↩