The Japanese naval authorities. the reply continues, have also been stridly ordered to guard against the repetition of such a mistake by! exercising the greatest caution every area where third-Power vessels are found, even if caution "may entail a risk of abandoning attacks upon opposing forces.
Both the military and naval authorities have renewed the rigid instructions that have been repeat ly given to safeguard the lives and properly of third-Power nationals.
The Japanese Government, the reply adds, is studying, and expects to carry out, every possible means of realizing the above aims. The Japanese Government has taken all irene measures in a sincere desire to render more effective and certain the guarantee for the rights and interests of Great Britain and other third Powers, earnestly hope," Mr. Hirota concludes, "that this will be appreciated by the British Government."
The reply, at the outset, recalls the various Notes on the subject exchange ed between the British and Japanese Governments, and dilates on the dim culties of ascertaining the facts.
then asserts that a full report has now been received, the principal points of which have already been explained by the military and naval authorities 10 the British Embassy.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.