Office of the Historian

893.102S/2193: Telegram

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

Tokyo, August 18, 1940—5 p.m.
[Received August 18—8:02 a.m.]

709. Department’s 313, August 17, 2 p.m., Shanghai defense sectors.

1.
The matter was taken up with the only official available in the East Asia Bureau of the Foreign Office this Sunday afternoon at 4 o’clock immediately following the decoding of the Department’s telegram. This official was requested to convey our approach to the Minister for Foreign Affairs as urgently as possible and as coming from me.
2.
This official stated that it was his opinion that the Japanese Government would not consider giving even tentative approval to the plan for the American forces to take over defense Sector B and he added that although he spoke without authority he would consider it a great favor if we would cable at once advising that no American troops be moved into defense Sector B following the withdrawal of the British troops. He indicated that such a move would be opposed by Japanese forces. The word “opposed” was not given precision.

Sent to the Department, repeated to Shanghai, Shanghai repeat to Chungking, Peiping and Commander in Chief. We are repeating also to Shanghai Department’s 313, August 17, 2 p.m.

Grew