Office of the Historian

893.6363 Manchuria/176: Telegram

The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State

Tokyo, April 22, 1935—noon.
[Received April 22—6 a.m.]

90. 1. The Netherlands Legation has received from the Japanese Government an aide-mémoire dated April 17 in reply to its representations of December 13. The argumentation in general is similar to that contained in the aide-mémoire received by the British and American Embassies but also includes the following points.

[Page 905]
(a)
It is not thought that the monopoly intends to obtain all its supplies from the Manchurian Oil Company.
(b)
The Manchukuo government has not guaranteed to buy the whole or the greater part of the output of the Fushun Shale Oil refinery.
(c)
Although the Manchuria Oil Company has a refinery in the Kwantung Leased Territory and the Japanese authorities will exercise some control over the petroleum industry in the South Manchuria railway zone, nevertheless the monopoly system in Manchukuo is no concern of the Japanese Government.
(d)
The Japanese Government has no connection with the activities of the South Manchuria Railway Company which is a limited company.

2. The Netherlands Minister has telegraphed for instructions and will await their receipt before taking action.

By mail to Peiping.

Grew