Mr. Nishi; the spokesman said, had eminded "M. Kozlovsky that Mr.
shigemitsu had "never promised" M Litvinoff not to allow Japanese or Manchoukuo troops to land on Sennufa or Bolshoi Islands, which the Tokyo and Changchun authorities "firmly believe" belong to Manchoukuo. The Japanese Counsellor ther pointed out to M. Kozlovsky that Mr. Shigemitsy had told the Foreign Commissar that since there were no Japanese or Manchoukuo forces on the Islands, it was impossible to withdraw them.
Mr. Shigemitsu, the Counsellor was said to have emphasized, asked M. Litvinoff for the unconditional withdrawal of Soviet troops on the islands and did not commit himself regarding the future movements of Japanese and Manchoukuo forces.
Official information regarding the purported landing of Japanese forces was not available in Tokyo to-day.
The Gaimusho spokesman declared that Japan and Manchoukuo insisted upon the restoration of the status quo "nte on the islands. This signified, he added, that Manchoukuo was to maintain the nine navigation beacons and lighthouses on the two islands, while Manchoukuo subjects were to be allowed to farm and engage in placer mining,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.