Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1941, The Far East, Volume V

740.0011 P. W./341: Telegram

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

Tokyo, July 28, 1941—9 p.m.
[Received July 28—1:32 p.m.]

1109. My British colleague has made available to me reports of his interview on July 26 with the Foreign Minister of which the two following points appear of sufficient interest to repeat to the Department.

1. The Ambassador stated to the Foreign Minister that since the sole reason given by the Japanese for the intended occupation of bases in Indochina was the alleged existence of hostile intentions on the part of Great Britain to the security of Indochina he wished to inquire whether it would not be possible to defer the actual entry of Japanese troops into Indochina until Japanese Government had time to satisfy itself that these reports were groundless. The Ambassador pointed out as his personal opinion that it was not the agreement with the Vichy Government but the actual despatch of Japanese troops which constituted a threat to British interests. The Foreign Minister made no reply to the Ambassador’s suggestion and merely reiterated previous statements denying that the movement of troops into Indochina would constitute any threat to British territory.

2. The Ambassador asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he would redefine for him Japan’s position with regard to the Japanese-Soviet neutrality pact. Statement of the Foreign Minister’s predecessor had not been clear on this point. The Foreign Minister replied that he had not yet had time to study the position of the Japanese Government regarding the neutrality pact as he had been exclusively occupied with the question of Indochina and would answer the Ambassador’s inquiry at a later date.

Grew