3. Mr. FREDERICK GREENasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government has received from its representatives in Manchuria any reports relating to the massacres of Koreans and others in Chientao, Manchuria, in October and November, 1920; whether these reports show that Japanese troops on non-Japanese territories have been engaged in military operations, involving great loss of life and wanton destruction of property; whether the officers in command of these forces have discriminated against Christians in these operations, and have burnt Church property over a wide area; whether His Majesty's Government has received any report of the facts in the case of the murder on 29th–30th October of a Christian colporteur of Sulchilgo without even a form of trial; whether His Majesty's Government accepts the explanation issued by Major-General Sato, on behalf of the Japanese War Office, namely, that the operations in the Chientao district have been rendered necessary because the Chinese authorities had expressed anxiety that the Japanese should stamp out outlawry and Korean plots as speedily as possible and then withdraw their forces; whether such operations are defended officially regardless of the fact that many innocent 1580 suffer;. and whether His Majesty's Government have taken any steps to defend the reputation of British citizens, missionaries in this district, who are charged in this official Japanese document with being themselves the cause of the tragedy?
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYBefore this question is answered, may I ask if the Japanese Imperial Government have made any complaint to His Majesty's Government about similar occurrences in Ireland?
§ Mr. KELLAWAYThe hon. and gallant Gentleman cannot expect me to answer that question. Reports of the nature indicated have reached His Majesty's Government both through His Majesty's Ambassor at Tokyo and His Majesty's Representative at Peking. These reports, which are necessarily based upon information from unofficial sources, show that numbers of Koreans have been killed and Korean property has been destroyed in Chientao. There is no confirmation of the report that special discrimination has been shown against Christian Koreans or Korean Church property as such. His Majesty's Government have received from an unofficial source an account of the alleged circumstances attending the death of the Korean colporteur at Sulchilgo, just as they have received reports of punitive measures elsewhere in Chientao. The general nature of these reports has been such that His Majesty's Government have felt justified in bringing them to the notice of the Japanese Government. As regards the utterances of Major-General Sato, the precise statement attributed to him by my hon. Friend has not so far come before His Majesty's Government, nor would they be disposed to regard such a statement by a subordinate military official as in any sense authoritative. But as long ago as December last, a disavowal was made by the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs of the utterances of that officer and of those of Colonel Mizumachi in accusing British missionaries of encouraging Korean malcontents against Japan. As stated in this House, in reply to my hon. Friend's previous question of 21st December last, His Majesty's Government have no reason whatever to suppose that British missionaries are in any way guilty of aiding Korean malcontents.
§ Captain Viscount CURZONCan the right hon. Gentleman give us an assurance that it is not intended that we should interfere with the affairs of Japan in Korea?
Lieut.-Colonel J. WARDIs it not a fact that these operations of Japan have taken place really in Chinese territory, and how is it that one great State can invade the territory of another without some more general protest?
§ Mr. KELLAWAYI would rather not make any more definite statement than that contained in the answer I have given, which is very detailed.
Sir J. D. REESMay I ask whether His Majesty's Government has any concern in this matter, unless a British subject is maltreated?