The Asama Maru incident appears certain to.re-assume serious proportions and its complications are responsible for non-publication this morning of the British Note of reply to original Japanese, communications, it was stated" here today.
As previously reported the British Note dealt exclusively with the legal aspects of the case and did not touch upon the future activities of the Royal Navy.
Because of continued Japanese reactions to the incident, London and Tokyo agreed not to publish the Note because it did not refer to efforts made by both countries to solve all the problems involved.
The two Governments, according to British political. quarters, agreed to wait for favourable results from their parleys before publishing the severely simple British Note.
H it were made public in its present form the British answer could be interpreted. in a negative sense, it was pointed out, and as closing the door to discussions. In fact it should not be taken in this sense, however, British quarters stressed, Negotiations now are continuing both here and in Tokyo with a view to find an equitable formula not only to settle the Asama Maru incident, but to be applied to any similar affairs in the future.
Until the present, Government jeireles here have voiced high hopes and even semi-certainty that a satisfactory settlement will be achieved.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.