Near Inclusions of von Neumann Algebras Without Small Spatial Embeddings

We give a negative answer to the unrestricted small-spatial-embedding problem for one-sided near inclusions of von Neumann algebras. On separable complex Hilbert spaces, we construct pairs of unital von Neumann algebras with common identity whose one-sided gaps tend to zero. Spatial embeddings of the source into the target exist, but every implementing unitary stays a fixed positive distance from the identity. The obstruction therefore concerns small implementing unitaries, rather than the existence of spatial embeddings.