FORMAL PROTEST

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 19, 23 January 1940, Page 7

FORMAL PROTEST

ASAMA MARU INCIDENT

FORCE ALLEGEDLY USED

JAPANESE NOTE

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) (Received January 23, 10.25 a.m.) TOKIO, January 22. Japan has formally protested to Britain against the renioval of Germans off the Asama Maru, describing it as a serious arid unfriendly act. The Note declares that forcible measures were used to remove the Germans when the captain of the Asama Maru declined to , surrender them. • .- A 'prompt, full, and valid explanation is demanded,, and the right is reserved ito demand the return of the seamen.. , The Note gives a warning that any repetition of the action will aggravate anti-British sentiment in Japan. According to an earlier message, the Foreign Office spokesman said: "The Asama Maru incident otcurred very near toj our shores, and we consider it a very disagreeable action. * Whether; or not a protest will be lodged will be decided, when more information' is received." The spokesman added that Britain had notified Japan three weeks ago of her intention to-seize German seamen on Japanese liners. A representative of the Nippon Yusen Kaisha /Line said it was improbable that the company would carry more Germans across the Pacific. "We do not like shots across our bows and having our ships searched and passengers removed," he said.

NEARLY A FIGHT

GERMAN HITS SAILOR

STORY BY PASSENGER

(Received January 23, '10.30 a.m.)

NEW YORK. January 22,

The "Tokio correspondent of the United Press says Dr. Robinson Duff, a Chicago passenger, reported that a German str ick a member of the British armed boarding party.during the questioning of the men, arid that Captain Gross, leader of the Germans, intervened to stop a fight.

The German Embassy made a statement that "apparently the British Navy did hot hesitate to capture Germans who were not members of the active military services from a Japanese ship in the neighbourhood of the Japanese coast."

The Embassy is investigating details of the incident to determine future action. ! '

A San Francisco message sqys a num. ber of German, sailors aboard the Ginyo Maru, which sailed from San Francisco on January .15, are expected to be seized in the North Pacific.