Imperial Majesty Sacrosanct and Above Politics Tokyo, Dec. 18- The action of President Roosevelt in protesting direct to the Emperor In regard 10 the bombing and sink Ing of the United States gunboat Panay has deeply shocked Japanese In, the eyes of the Japanese the Emperors sacrosanel and above! polities, although it wilt be recalled that Emperor Meiji personally took steps to express regret on the occa~ Hon ofthe attack om the Tareviteh in 1004.
Replying to a volley of questions today regarding the lkelthood compliance with President Roosevelt's request, the spokesman of the For~ eign Office declared, in awe, that no tone was qualified to say anything concerning the Emperor's action. He was Mot in a position to make any statement.
"The spokesman was reticent when asked whether and when the Japanese Government would reply to the United States Note delivered) last evening, which was onl-dated by the delivery of an earlier but, almost simultaneous apology from Mr. Koht Hirota, the Foreign Minister.
Information, tha spokesman said, was being gathered concerning the Ineldents, and in the meantime it was premature to make any state~ ment.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.