894.6363/223: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Japan (Neville)
194. Reference your 224, November 30, 6 p.m. Department informed Standard-Vacuum on December 2 of contents of your telegram under reference. Standard-Vacuum by telephone message and letter December 9 informed us of procedures which they and their British colleagues in London had under discussion. Standard-Vacuum expressly asked for our comments or suggestions on one point, a point especially involving assistance by American Embassy. In course of giving our comment today, by telephone, we ascertained that Standard-Vacuum last night sent a tentative instruction to its representative in Japan. The upshot will probably be further discussion between the representatives in Japan of the two interests and further consultation between the respective interests and their respective embassies.
In the light of the above, Department wishes that you participate in discussion of any points which may be brought to your attention and wherein you deem participation by you appropriate but that you take no steps of approach to the Japanese Government or Japanese firms without first fully informing Department of developments up to the point where the interests ask Embassy [for] such assistance, and receipt by you of further instruction from Department.
We have informed Standard-Vacuum, New York, of the contents of this telegram, and they accept full responsibility for any misunderstanding that may have been occasioned by their telegram of yesterday to their representative in Japan.