793.94/15776: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 22—7:10 a.m.]
191. According to the Asahi, the Minister of War made the following reply to an interpellation in the Budget Committee of the Lower House this morning regarding the attitude of the fighting services toward the Nine Power Pact:
“With respect to the Nine Power Pact, the army will of course conform to the Government’s policy. As for my private opinion, however, the present China incident was brought about by the anti-Japanese policy of the Chiang regime, and is literally a holy war for the purpose of correcting this mistaken policy and of ensuring the lasting peace of East Asia. Consequently, the present incident in my opinion transcends the Nine Power Pact. While the said instrument still exists, Japan will not be restricted by it in its military operations. It goes without saying that the present situation in East Asia generally is far different from the time when the Nine Power Pact was concluded.”
Air mail to Shanghai and Chungking.