TEN ARRESTS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 305, 2 October 1940, Page 5

TEN ARRESTS.

BRITONS IN JAPAN. SOME CONVICTED AS SPIES. United Press Association—Copyright' LONDON, October 30. A. message from Toldo reports that 10 Britons who- have been under arrest since July 27 have been- indicted on charges of violation of the law for the protection of military secrets, and several others are being detained. The Japanese Minister for Justice (Mi 1 Arilca Kazami) announced that seven of the 10 Britons had been convicted. The sentences would be announced later. <

Those indicted include Captain Charles H. James, 'of Tokio, a retired naval officer and representative in Japan of the Federation of British Industies, and Messrs George A. James. Ernest W. James, Michael Linger, Hamish MacNauglvton-, H-enyy Blyth, John Drummond 1 , William T. Charles, and T. B. Willey.

One Japanese has been indicted and 50 others have been warned to account for -pro-British activities. The- serious view that Britain took of the arr-ests was stated by the Foreign -Secretary (Lord Halifax) on July 3,0. There was no- foundation whatever lie said, for the allegation by the Japanese -Government connecting the arrests with “increasing activities of foreign organisations of espionage, and conspiracy” in Japan.

The spokesman of the Japanese Foreign Office (Mr Yakichiro Sum a), however, said that Japan would refuse to consider any British protest against the arr-ests. He added that it was a mistake to assume that the action was entirely anti-British, as- any o-tliejrs engaging in espionage, regardless of nationality, would be dealt with relentlessly. ,