was threatened.33 The German Ambassador advised Foreign Minister HIROTA that "Japan bears responsibility to the world for breaking off the discussion." The Japanese Government's future intentions with regard to China were indicated by Foreign Minister' HIROTA * s reply to an inquiry as to whether Japan intended to declare war or advance against Canton and Hainan Island in his declaration that neither was "being planned for the time being."34 On 16 January 1938, the Japanese Government issued an official statement announcing that it would no longer deal with the Chinese National Government,35 and on 27 January 1938 the Japanese Government adopted a program for the establishment of a highly pro-Japanese regime in China to be known as the Central China Provisional Government. The program included the annihila¬tion of Chiang Kai-shek's regime, the elimination of Communists, and the destructioh of the Nationalist Party. 36 As spokesman for his Cabinet before the Imperial Diet on 22 January 1938, Prime Minister KONOYE declared that "Japanese immutable national policy aims at building the edifice of permanent peace for East 33Exhibit 486-B, TP 5,998. In a telegram of 16 January 1938 the German Ambassador transmitted to Berlin Foreign Minister HIROTA's final answer to the peace proposals in which the following language was used: "Therefore the Imperial Government have now decided to abandon much to their regret, the present negotia¬tions for poace between Japan and China undertaken through the kind endeavors of Your Excellency's Government and to deal with the present affair from an entirely new standpoint." 34Exhibit 486-G, TP 5,999- 35Exhibit 268, TP 3,563. 36Exhibit 463-A, TP 5,311.