The "Asahi" gives much prominence to a report that the Foreign Office has instructed the Ambas-\dors at London and Washington to note that, at the next naval disarmament conference, Japan will fish for a 10-10-7 ratio as compared with Great Britain and the United States in regard to auxiliary craft. Numerous statements to this effect have been made by responsible statesmen, including Admiral Ta-Kavabé, Minister of the Navy, at public and semi-official functions, bit no official statement has been tasued by the Government: on this thiatter, Your correspondent sought to verify the report of the "Asahi," bit was told that the Foreign Office ould neither endorse sor deny the statement.
In addition, the "Asahi" states that Japan's envoys at Washinetor London have been notified that pan will ask for equality in: sub-trines.. The: instructions iaeued Jovan's neprenntaives at the British and Amer summed up by th (1) Japan favours a reduction in the size of capital ships and extension of their ages.
(2) Japan does not favour the extension of the naval holiday for capital ships, although she approves the plan for postponing completion of this class of vessel when construction is commenced, say, in 1931, thereby lessening the burdens of tax-payers and at the same time maintaining the building efficiency of the shipyards, (8) Discussion relating to 10,000- ton cruisers should be conducted separately from that of smaller cruisers, destroyers, ete, (4) In the 10,000-ton cruiser class, Japan will ask for 70 per cent. of either Great Brit America's strength.
(5) The same ratio will be demanded for other classes of auxi-
Tiary vessels.
(6) As regards Japan will ask for equality with tht United States and Great Britain, og her present strength of this type of ship is somewhat larger than that. of Britain and somewhat smaller than that of Americ These points, the "Asahi" adds, were decided on after a series of conferences between the Foreign Office and the Navy Department.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.