393.115/802: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received 3:40 p.m.]
627. The American Consulate General at Shanghai has reported by mail in regard to the receipt of a letter addressed to the Senior Consul by the Japanese Consul General at Shanghai under date of November 20 and circulated by the Secretariat of the Consular Body on the same date. The Japanese Consul General requests that third power nationals and organizations be urged (1) to inform the Japanese authorities of the exact location of their interests and properties in the interior of China, supplying scaled maps showing as accurately as possible the positions of such interests and properties and (2) to mark their properties with easily distinguishable national insignia. The American Consul General replied to his Japanese colleague that he was referring the matter to me for consideration. He stated that American nationals and organizations located in the interior of China had already for the most part supplied information of the nature desired, and, referring to Tokyo’s note of February 21, 1938 to the Japanese Foreign Office,6 pointed out that regardless of whether information is supplied concerning location of American citizens or properties, or of whether American property is or is not marked the American Government will hold the Japanese Government responsible for any damage done to American lives or property by the Japanese forces.
It is my opinion that it would serve no good purpose again to urge American interests in China to furnish maps of their property and to place identifying insignia thereon. Sufficient maps have been supplied the Japanese authorities to enable them to identify from the [Page 420] air almost every town of importance in China. Japanese planes continue the bombing of these towns. They attack indiscriminately the centers of towns without paying particular attention to military objectives. I recommend that the request of the Japanese Consul General be ignored. The Department’s instructions are respectfully requested.
Repeated to Shanghai, by air mail to Tokyo.