Evening star., 1940-08-03
British Empire
Rounding Up
japanese
Tokio's Ambassador
Protests Arrest
Of z in London
By the Associated Press.

ioNoolN, aug. Dbl 1ldIIl lUl~
lowed up the arrests of many OF her
prominent subjects in Japan with
an empire-wide roundup of japanese
today, including the two London
representatives of the powerful Nit
subishi and Mitsui banking interests,
but authoritative sources here in
sisted the British action was not
retaliatory.
The arrest here last night of Sa-
toru Makihara and Shunsukei Ia
nabe, London managers of Mitsu-
bisni and Mitsui, respectively. and
the arrests of japanese subjects in
other parts of the British Empire
were coupled with unconfirmed ru-
nors of the uncovering' of wide
spread spy ring branching from
London throughout the empire,
notably Canada, Australia and
Burma.
Reports of the alleged spy ring,
published here without specific ref
erence to the arrests, said the men,
bers of the ring had been allowed to
operate in peace until they were
involved hopelessly."
Strong Protest Registered.
The parallel between these &C
counts and the japanese action in
arresting Britons in Japan on
charges of operating a spy ring were
considered significant, even though
British authorities stoutly insisted
there was no element of reprisal in
their action.
The japanese Embassy registered
strong protest" with the British
government over the arrest of MAXI
hara and Tanabe, the two most
prominent japanese business men
in London.
Japanese Ambassador Mamoru
Shigemitsu was reported to have
demanded in an interview with For
eign Minister Lord Halifax that the
British government release the two
prominent japanese businessmen.
Unoflcially, it was reported the
arrests had been made under war
time alien regulations for reasons of
national security"
RETALIATION Denled.
Authoritative circles denied re-
ports that the arrests were in re-
taliation for the mass arrests of
British subjects in Japan and Korea,
nine of whom still are in custody.
and described their timing as pure
coincidence" growing out of investi-
cations which have been under way
for some months under Britain. s
stringent defense Of the realm regu-
lations.
The British position was that in
a widespread drive against enemy
sympathizers and possible spies
people of all nationalities have been
detained, among them some jap
anese.
To link such arrests with the in
cidents in Japan and assert they
are retaliatory merely because they
followed on the heels of the arrests
IN Japan, these sources said, was
drawing an unwarranted conclusion.
Seized Under Aliens Order.
Ambassador Shigemitsu personally
went to the British Foreign Office
with the protests against the arrests.
The two men were understood to
have been arrested under the aliens
order of the defense regulations,
which gives the Home Secretary
power to deport aliens or order
their detention. The Home Office,
however. refused any comment this
morning.
A spokesman at the japanese
Embassy said:
I'VE are f1abbergasted at the ac-
ton which has been taken"
He added that Ambassador Shige-
mitsu. in addition to lodging a
protest, had asked full details of
and reasons for the arrests.
The spokesman described the two
men as very pro-British and very
sympathetic to Britain"
we cannot possibly imagine any
thing on their part to invite sus-
picion or give the impression they
lnfringed on the regulations of this
country he said.
I'VE hope everything can be set
tied satisfactorily" he added.
Japan Charged Spy Ring.
Japan's arrests of the Britons
were made on charges British
spy ring was operating in Japan.
On Tuesday, British Foreign Sec
retary Lord Halifax told Parliament
that such charges had mo founda-
ton whatsoever"
Lord Halifax at the same time
said the British government took a
serious view of the arrests of the
(See ROUNDUP, Page ABB