Japan is gravely concerned over the maintenance of peace and order in North China. The consistent anti-Japanese policy pursued by the Chinese, however, has repeatedly menaced peace in North China and has finally led to the outbreak of the Wanping-hsien incident.
In accordance with its policy not to aggravate the North China situation and to seek a local settlement for the sake of peace in East Asia, Japan has been making every effort to dispose of the matter peacefully.
It has submitted very lenient local demands to the authorities of the Hopei-Chahar Political Council, merely including suspension of the stationing of Chinese troops near Wanping and on the left bank of the Yungting river, necessary guarantees for the future, punishment of those responsible for the incident and an apology on the part of the Hopei-Chahar Political Council. Although this Council recognized these demands on the night of July 11, it has failed to show sincerity in carrying them out.
On the other hand, the Japanese Government asked the Nanking Government on July 17th immediately to suspend provocative utterances and actions and not to obstruct the local settlement of the North China incident. Disregarding realities, however, the Nanking Government did not comply with the Japanese Government's requests.
On the contrary, it strengthened its preparations for war, thus increasing unrest. While Japan was making efforts for a peaceful solution of the situation with patience and self-restraint, the Chinese on July 26th illegally fired on a Japanese detachment at Langfang, where it was engaged in repairing military telegraph wires. On the same evening, the Chinese resorted to unwarranted acts of violence by closing the wall gate to a Japanese detachment which was entering the walled city of Peiping, after reaching an understanding with the authorities of the Hopei-Chahar Political Council, to protect Japanese nationals, and by suddenly firing on the Japanese.
These two cases constitute an armed interference on the part of the Chinese troops in the primary duties of the Japanese Garrison in North China, which duties are to make secure the communication lines between Peiping and Tientsin and to protect Japanese nationals residing in the area.
Thus the Japanese army has been forced to take self-defensive measures necessary in the execution of its duties and also in securing full observance of the terms of the agreement concluded between Japan and the Hopei-Chahar Political Council. The aim of the Japanese Government is to eradicate the fundamental causes for the outbreak of untoward incidents such as the present one. Japan does not entertain enmity toward law-abiding Chinese people. Nor has it any territorial designs. It goes without saying that Japan will make every effort to give protection to the vested rights and interests in China of foreign Powers.