to reach an agreement, NISHIHARA on 3 September 1940 notified the Governor-General that Japan's residents would be withdrawn from the' area and delivered an ultimatum that the Japanese army would advance into French Indo-China after September 5 if prompt accept¬ance of Japan's demands was not given. At 8 p.m. on 4 September an agreement on the spot was signed, but all the details were not settled. 177 On 6 September 1940, several battalions of the Japanese army advanced into Indo-China from South China. Negotiations were temporarily suspended on the ground that the incident was In contravention of the pact. As an excuse for the border viola¬tions, Ilajor General NISHIHABA explained that an arbitrary deci¬sion was taken by a front line unit which did not know of the conclusion of the military agreement. 178 On 16 September the Vice Minister of ?/ar advised the French Ambassador that the Japanese army would advance into French Indo-China at any moment without waiting for an agreement. An agreement was then reached on some matters, but a wide difference of opinion continued to exist. The Vice Foreign Minister informed the French Ambassador on 19 September that Japanese forces would advance into Tongking Province at any time after zero hour of 23 September whether the agreement on details was concluded or not. 179 This was the final ultimatum before the Japanese army began hostilities on 23 September 1940. 177Exhibit 620,TP 6,925-6,929• 178(a)Exhibit 626,TP 6,971. (b)Exhibit620,TP 6,929. 179Exhibit 620,TP 6,929-6,933.