811.20(D)Regulations/233
The Japanese Embassy to the Department of State16
The Japanese Government has taken note of the Proclamation, dated July 26, 1940, by the President of the United States of America, for the administration of section 6 of the Act of Congress approved [Page 219] July 2, 1940, entitled “An Act to expedite the strengthening of the national defense,” and the Regulations, dated July 26, 1940, governing the exportation of articles and materials designated in the President’s Proclamation of July 2, 1940, and the anouncement of July 31 recommended by Colonel R. L. Maxwell, Administrator of Export Control.
The announcement of July 31, the introduction to which stated that it was issued with the approval of the President, is as follows:
“In the interests of the National Defense the export of aviation gasoline is being limited to nations of the Western Hemisphere, except where such gasoline is required elsewhere for the operations of American owned companies.”
It is the understanding of the Japanese Government that the announcement expresses the policy to be followed by the Government of the United States in applying the above mentioned Proclamations and Regulations to the export of aviation gasoline and that that policy, by limiting the export destinations, is tantamount to an embargo on aviation gasoline so far as countries outside the Western Hemisphere are concerned. As a country whose import of American aviation gasoline is of immense volume, Japan would bear the brunt of the virtual embargo. The resultant impression would be that Japan had been singled out for and subjected to discriminatory treatment.
While reserving all rights of further action, the Government of Japan wishes to protest against the policy of the Government of the United States set forth in the announcement under review.
- Handed to the Acting Secretary of State by the Japanese Ambassador (Horinouchi) on August 3, 1940.↩