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Peiping, June 5th–28th.The Commission returned to Peiping on June 5th, where an analysis of the voluminous documentary material collected was begun. Two more conferences were also held with Mr. Wang Ching-wei, President of the Executive Yuan; Dr. Lo Wen-kan, Minister for Foreign Affairs; and Mr. T. V. Soong, Minister of Finance.
Tokyo, July 4th–15th.On June 28th the Commission proceeded to Tokyo via Chosen (Korea). Its departure for Japan was delayed by the fact that no Foreign Minister had yet been appointed in the Cabinet of Admiral Viscount Saito. After their arrival in Tokyo on July 4th, conferences were held with leaders of the new Government, including the Prime Minister, Admiral Viscount Saito; the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Count Uchida; and the Minister of War, Lieutenant-General Araki. From these we learned the present views and policy of the Government regarding the development of the situation in Manchuria and Sino-Japanese relations.
Peiping, July 20th.Having thus renewed contact with both the Chinese and the Japanese Governments, the Commission returned to Peiping, where the drafting of the Report was undertaken.
Assessors.The two Assessors, who throughout spared no effort to assist the work of the Commission, presented a great amount of valuable documentary evidence. The material received from each Assessor was shown to the other, and an opportunity given for subsequent comment. These documents will be published.
The large number of persons and organisations interviewed, as listed in the Appendix, will illustrate the amount of evidence examined. Further, in the course of our travels, we have been presented with a great quantity of printed pamphlets, petitions, appeals, and letters. In Manchuria alone, we received approximately 1,550 letters in Chinese and 400 letters in Russian, without mentioning those written in English, French or Japanese.
The arrangement, translation and study of these documents involved a considerable labour, which was carried out in spite of our continual movement from place to place. It was finally completed on our return to Peiping in July and before our last visit to Japan.
The conception of its mission under resolution of December 10th determined the plan of the Commission's Report.The Commission’s conception of its mission, which determined the programme of its work and itinerary, has equally guided the plan of its Report.
First, We have tried to provide an historical background by describing the rights and interests of the two countries in Manchuria, which provide the fundamental causes of the dispute; the more recent specific issues which immediately preceded the actual outbreak were then examined, and the course of events since September 18th, 1931, described. Throughout this review of the issues, we have insisted less on the responsibility for past actions than on the necessity of finding means to avoid their repetition in the future.
Finally, the Report concludes with some reflections and considerations which we have desired to submit to the Council upon the various issues with which it is confronted, and with some suggestions on the lines on which it seemed to us possible to effect a durable solution of the conflict and the re-establishment of a good understanding between China and Japan.