HMS Kanimbla, largely manned by the RAN, arrived at Yokohama to release German technicians captured by HMS Liverpool on a Japanese ship. The Japanese liner ASAMA MARU had departed San Francisco on the 6/1/1940 with 51 German seamen from the crew of German liner COLUMBUS. On the 21/1/1940 HMS LIVERPOOL stopped her 35 miles off Nojima Zaki near Yokosuka and removed 21 German technicians. After strong protests from Japan and Germany nine were finally released.