Minute 173 SYDNEY, 14 February 1940
COMPLAINT BY THE JAPANESE CONSUL-GENERAL REGARDING THE FIRING OF A SHELL AT THE ‘KYO MARU NO. 2’ ON HER ENTRY TO FREMANTLE HARBOUR The Minister for External Affairs [1] stated that he had received a communication from the Japanese Consul-General [2] lodging a complaint regarding the action taken in firing a shot across the bows of the ‘Kyo Maru No. 2’ on her entry recently to the Fremantle harbour. The Minister for External Affairs recommended that this matter be investigated by the Collector of Customs, and the matter be left in his hands to take necessary action in regard to the investigation of the incident. War Cabinet agreed to this procedure. [3]
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1 Sir Henry Gullett.
2 Masatoshi Akiyama. No record of this communication has been found.
3 The External Affairs Dept Summary of Activities for the week ending 15 March 1940 (on file AA: A981, E.A. Dept 191) noted that:
‘Following upon Cabinet decision that a full investigation be made by impartial authorities… and action taken to give effect to such decision, a full report on the matter was received from the Customs Authorities. A letter in reply to the Japanese Consul- General was prepared for consideration by the Minister accompanied by a short memorandum setting out the mom important points made in the report. Letters to the Ministers for the Army and Navy were also prepared for consideration by the Minister. (Action incomplete).’ No other documentation of this question has been found.
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[AA: A2673, VOL. 2]