494.11/97
The Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs (Arita) to the American Ambassador in Japan (Grew)
Excellency: I have the honor to inform Your Excellency that I have carefully perused your note no. 1157, December 22, 1938, in which inquiry was made concerning the replies of the Imperial Government [Page 641] to the numerous notes which Your Excellency has sent regarding various incidents in which as a result of bombing operations by Japanese military planes, damage was done to American church property in China; and in which inquiry was made concerning the attitude of the Imperial Government with regard to the incident in which damage was done to the American church at Tungpeh, Honan Province, causing death and injury to American citizens.
By note No. 118/American I, December 28, 1938, replies were made to the following communications which were among the various items referred to in Your Excellency’s note under reference: American Embassy’s notes verbale no. 925, May 16; no. 926, May 18; no. 944, May 31; no. 980, July 6; and no. 947, May 31; and Your Excellency’s note no. 975, June 28.81
Further, it is to be noted that this Ministry’s note above mentioned also sets forth the results which have been obtained thus far of investigations of various other incidents.
With regard to the incident in which damage was done to the American church at Tungpeh, which was the subject of Your Excellency’s note no. 1105, October 31,82 and to which reference was made in your note under acknowledgment, I wish to call Your Excellency’s attention to my confidential note no. 117/American I, December 26,83 which was delivered personally on the occasion of my interview with Your Excellency on December 26. Further, with regard to the claim for indemnity for loss of life occurring in this case, the Japanese Consul General at Shanghai during the early part of November informed the American Consul General at that place that, although it is impossible to make a detailed investigation as Tungpeh is outside of the territory occupied by the Imperial forces, the Japanese Government is prepared, as soon as the conditions are made clear, to devise some method of providing a solatium. I believe that Your Excellency’s Government, being in receipt of a report to that effect, is already aware of these circumstances.
I avail myself [etc.]