Office of the Historian

894.00/959: Telegram

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

Tokyo, September 16, 1940—8 p.m.
[Received September 16—10:18 a.m.]

845. Unusual political activity has been observable in Tokyo during the last several days. Among many other conferences it is reported that Prince Kanin, Chief of the Army General Staff, Prince Fushimi, Chief of the Naval General Staff, and Matsuoka, Minister for Foreign Affairs, have twice called on the Emperor during the past week, all three officials having been last received on September 14. This morning an extraordinary meeting of the entire Cabinet is reported as having taken place at the Premier’s residence to discuss “an important state affair”.

This activity is generally believed to be connected with Japan’s policy of southward advance42 but it is impossible to confirm this supposition.

Grew
  1. See vol. iv, pp. 1 ff.↩