I
Announcement by the Board of Information Made on November 6, 1941
The passenger ship, Kehi Maru, of the Nippon Kai Steamship Company, which is on the regular run between Turuga and Seisin, met with a disaster, shortly after 10:00 p.m. last night, on the Japan Sea by contacting a mine while on her way to Turuga. Several rescue ships hurried to the spot immediately upon the receipt of the S. O. S.
II
Announcement by the Board of Information Made on November 6, 1941
It is clear from the wireless messages sent out by the Kehi Maru and other circumstances that the disaster that befell the vessel was caused by a floating mine which had drifted from within the territorial waters of the Soviet Union.
Therefore, the Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Haruhiko Nishi, on the afternoon of the 6th, requested the Soviet Ambassador at Tokyo, M. Constantin Smetanin, to call on him at the Foreign Office and presented to the latter the most solemn protest, demanding his Government to make a reply with sincerity.