761.9415 Amur River/2: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 1—9:10 a.m.]
171. No special importance is attached here to the reported affair on the Amur River which is regarded merely as another “border incident”. According to the Navy Ministry the Soviet gunboats engaged were only launches. The Japanese naval authorities state that the international boundary line prescribed by treaty is in the middle of the channel; that the three islands recently occupied by Soviet forces are on the Manchurian side of this line; that the Soviets attempted to barricade the main channel in order to cause the river traffic to be [Page 924] routed to the southward side of these islands, thus creating a new main channel and thereby giving the Soviets title to the islands. Some 6 Manchukuoan gunboats of 250 tons are said to be mobilized about 10 miles down river from the barricade which is reported to be not effective.
Foreign observers here believe that the incident may have been incited by Marshal Bluecher for domestic political reasons and there is no present inclination to attribute to the Japanese military or naval forces any aggressive designs in this affair.
Repeated to Peiping.