Commenting om Japanese protests to Groat Britain, the spokesman asserted that the protest was twofold.
demand' that Great Britain sive full and valid explanation. namely, why aod on what grounds the British' warship. stopped the Asama Maru and forcibly removed 21 German passengers.
The Japanese Government oxplicity reserved in advance the right fo demand the delivery of the Ger~ man. passengers seized.
The spokesman said that no technical discussion had taken place between Japan and Great Britain. He added that intornatioral law was not relevant in the ease.
He stated that the Japanese view must be "known by the British. Japan, he stated, contended that the citizens of a' belligerent power aboard a neutral vessel whom other belligerents may Yemove must be limited to those in active service or fon active military' lst.
Therefore, he concluded, those nationals on reserve lists of a belligerent nation on the way "home where they may be embodied In armed forees could not be removed by other belligerents from a neutral vessel. There has been no Informa lon presented by Great Beitain showing the status of the Germans arrested, the spokesman said, At this point a German corres pondent pointed out that one of the 21 Germans removed was a 59 year id man—Domel,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.