CO129-570-10 Sino-Japanese War- Japanese seizure of the S.S. ASIAN- claims 15-2-1938 - 12-12-1938 — Page 14

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transfer in cases of this kind, and pointed out that in

view of these facts it was felt that there was room for

reconsideration of this case.

3.

In reply Mr. Kurihara reminded Mr. Cunningham that the

Japanese Government had reserved the right to examine other

documents besides the certificate of registry if necessary.

He said, however, that they were prepared to reconsider this

case and he added that a committee to deal with the subject

of all claims was being established at the Ministry and

that it was hoped that this committee would commence its

work very shortly. It was proposed that they should start

by investigating simpler claims, in which category the

case of the "Asian" seemed to fall, and he thought that

this was a case which might be settled comparatively

easily.

4. In regard to Mr. Kurihara's statement that the

Japanese Government had reserved the right to examine

other documents besides the certificate of registry I

have the honour to refer Your Excellency to my despatch to

the Foreign Office, No.931 of the 22nd November last, copy

of which was enclosed in my despatch No.88 of that date,

in which I explained that no agreement had been reached

with the Japanese authorities on this point, but that

I did not consider any useful purpose would be served by

taking the matter up further with them. I am still of this

opinion; for, though it may be necessary further to refute

the Japanese point of view at some future date, I do not

consider it advisable to endeavour to do so now, more

especially in view of the attitude adopted by Mr. Kurihara

towards our suggestion that there was room for reconsideration

in this particular case. The Naval Attache has, on many

occasions at the Ministry of Marine, stressed the point

that His Majesty's Government cannot admit the examination

by/