The Japanese Government have recently lodged a solemn protest with the Governments of the United States and Britain, in view of the repetition of their criminal and wanton attacks on Japanese hospital ships, committed in complete disregard of not only international law, but the very principles of
humanity.
The dastardly acts of inhumanity committed by the armed forces of the United States and Britain since the outbreak of the war of greater East Asia have been pointed out by us from time to time.
Additional evidence of the Anglo-American enemies' wanton attacks against non-military objectives has been piling up as the war moves on. Since the beginning of this year, their aircraft and submarines have attacked seven hospital ships under conditions which absolutely will not absolve them of responsibility. The names of the hospital ships were duly notified to the enemy countries, sufficiently in advance before their voyage as such, through established procedure and each vessel bore clear markings as stipulated by treaty. The conditions surrounding the attacks were such as to enable clear and full recognition of these markings and the identity of the vessels.
The actual facts and the indiscriminate attacks made against these hospital ships are so clearly established that in no way whatsoever can the attackers evade responsibility on the pretext that they could not identify the vessels. They are inexcusable acts of criminality which violate not only the treaty applying the principles of the Geneva convention to naval warfare, but the very principles of humanity. The United States and Britain make it a habit to talk loudly and frequently about their observing the rules of humanity and to assert that they are incapable of committing illegal acts. However, these concrete instances definitely prove the utter falsity of their claims and reveal the brazen hypocrisy of their words and actions.
In view of the repetition of these criminal acts, the Japanese Government have recently lodged with the Government of the United States and Britain a solemn protest through our Protecting Powers.