Office of the Historian

793.94/4167: Telegram

The Consul General at Shanghai (Cunningham) to the Secretary of State

Shanghai, February 13, 1932—7 p.m.
[Received February 13—11:55 a.m.]

46. 1. Japanese Consulate General informs me that Japanese troops are arriving tonight and tomorrow and will land tomorrow at Nippon Yusen Kaisha Wayside Wharf within the Settlement.

2. Following is statement given to the Chairman [of] Municipal Council by the Japanese Consulate General this afternoon.

(1st)
The Japanese military forces in principle will not be quartered within the Settlement if possible, but immediately after their arrival here, part of these troops will be compelled to be billeted in some sections of the Settlement for the time being. Japanese residences and Japanese-owned buildings located in the Settlement area to the north of the Wayside Wharf will be used for that purpose.
(2d)
During the period these military units are being billeted in the Settlement it is necessary for them (a) to have sentries posted at the entrance of their quarters, (b) to make patrols go their rounds in order to maintain military discipline, (c) to take self-defensive steps as may be necessitated by circumstances, in case Chinese snipers or armed plain-clothes men are on the rampage.
(3d)
The points above mentioned are hereby notified to the Settlement authorities for their information in advance. In the meantime the Japanese military authorities wish to declare that they have no intention whatsoever either to interfere with or to obstruct the functioning of the Municipal police, but that on the contrary, they are “to cooperate with the Municipal police authorities in such cases where the searching or arresting of Chinese armed plain-clothes men or snipers is needed.”

Repeated Legation, Tokyo and Nanking.

Cunningham