TOKYO, April 21 (INS) — The leading Japanese daily Yomiuri Sunday reported that British and American oil companies were likely to “dump” their Japan stocks around mid-May in an attempt to fight the import of cheap Iranian products by a Japanese company.

The Yomiuri said that unless the Japanese government acts to prevent the marketing of Abadan petroleum aboard the Japanese tanker Nissho Maru, now en route to Japan, “there probably will be an international oil dumping such as happened in 1925.”

In that year, the Yomiuri said, the Matsukata Oil Company set off fierce competition by importing Russian oil.

The Yomiuri said the Japanese government appeared unable to give the British government assurance that it will intervene in the Idemitsu Kosan Company deal with the Iranian government.

Britain has “inquired” of the Japanese government the circumstances of the company’s dollar purchase of cheap Iranian oil, pointing out that the claim of the ousted Anglo-Iranian oil company to the Abadan installations is still before international courts.

The Yomiuri said it understood British oil companies in Japan were planning to “dump” their local stocks around mid-May to fight the competition of the Iranian product when the Nissho Maru arrives.

The paper said American companies probably would follow suit to meet British competition on the Japan market.

The Yomiuri based its contention on:

1. “lnformed observers” believe the Japanese government cannot intervene in the Idemitsu deal.

2. The Shell Oil Company in Japan was refused permission to take over a former Japanese army fuel installation it bought in cooperation with the Mitsubishi Oil company, in order to step-up its Japan operations.

3. The Shell Oil Company represents Anglo-Iranian interests in the Far East.

The Yomiuri said American companies were expected to move aggressively if the squabble affects the Japan markets because “American capital has been banned from investing in Iranian oil.”

The paper claimed “an American broker” was involved in the controversial Idemitsu contract with Iran.

It said the unidentified broker previously had tried unsuccessfully to sell Iranian products to two other Japanese companies.