Tokyo, Feb. 14.
"I think the Powers had better proach Japan unofficially with regard to her Naval construction programme," remarked the Foreign Office spokesman, at a press conference to-day, in discussing Japan's refusal of the request for information.
The spokesman indicated that Japan might comply with an unofficial request. However, he agreed that unofficial information might not necessarily be binding to Japan.
Observers believe that the spokesman's remark was merely symptomatic of Japan's desire to play for time.
An official of the Ministry of the Navy, in an interview with Reuter, smilingly discounted the statement as being "somewhat incomprehensible." He said he thought that the spokesman was express the view of the Foreign Office that an informal diplomatic "request for information would have obviated the irritation to Japan's feelings caused by the three-Power "ultimatum."
"Ne less" the official declared, "the sübstance of the Japanese reply to the three Powers would have been the same. There is ro hope of the Japanese Government changing its attitude unless the other Naval Powers accept a doctrine of quantitative limitation."—Reuter, Soviets to Start Building Moscow, Feb. 14.
Officials, commenting to-day on Japan's refusal to reveal her naval building plans, said that since Italy and Japan declined to abide by present naval limitations, the Soviet Union would build a powerful fleet independent of the action of other Powers.—United Press,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.