On receiving unofficial information late in the afternoon of December 15th concerning the death of Mr. Sandro Sandri, Italian press correspondent, at the time of the sinking of the American gunboat Panay, the Foreign Office promptly caused the Director of the European and Asiatic Bureau, Mr. Kojiro Inouye, to call on Mr. Giacinto Auriti, Italian Ambassador at Tokyo, and to tender to the latter an expression of condolence. As official report of the death of Mr. Sandri was received later in the evening, the Foreign Minister, Mr. Koki Hirota, sent to the Italian Ambassador an Official Note in connection with the unfortunate incident.
Simultaneously, Mr. M. Hotta, Japanese Ambassador at Rome tendered a similar expression to the Italian Government, sending at the same time Mr. Matsumiya, Counsellor of the Embassy to Trino in order to express condolences to the Stampa and the bereaved members of the late Mr. Sandri.