The Pittsburgh Press (July 23, 1941)
FRANCE BOWS TO JAPAN’S INDOCHINA DEMANDS
By Ralph Heinzen, United Press staff writer
Vichy, July 23 –
France has no objection to granting Japanese demands for temporary occupation of military bases in French Indochina if French sovereignty is not impaired, a spokesman for the Vichy government said tonight.
The statement, regarded as admission that the French have accepted Japanese demands for air and naval bases in the Saigon area, said that Japan desired to protect Indochina against attack by the British, Chinese and Free French forces.
Japan has not presented any ultimatum to France, the spokesman said, and Germany has not intervened in Vichy on behalf of the Japanese demands.
The spokesman said Japan had demanded bases:
…as a temporary military measure to defend Indochina.
Negotiations on the Japanese demands are continuing, the spokesman said.