394.1115/123: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan (Grew)
711. Your 1672, October 22, 5 p.m., Customs procedure for departing nationals. The Commissioner of Customs reports that the procedure attending the examination of Japanese leaving this country is as follows:
- (1)
- Japanese nationals having diplomatic status are exempted from the usual Customs examination and are not required to submit a detailed list or itemization of the contents of their baggage. Diplomatic and consular officials may also take with them without license up to $1000 in cash, travelers checks or drafts;
- (2)
- In principle Japanese officials not having diplomatic status are treated in the same way as ordinary passengers (see below), except of course that the courtesy due their rank is shown;
- (3)
- Ordinary passengers of Japanese nationality may take with them up to $200 in cash, travelers checks or drafts. A license is required for any larger sum or for any securities or for any other things of abnormal value exclusive of personal effects. In order to insure compliance with these rules, reasonable search of persons and effects shall be made, viz., an ordinary inspection of baggage is made on the spot, except where there is reason to be suspicious, when baggage is examined minutely, and if necessary, persons searched. For the convenience of passengers in facilitating the examination, a list of articles to be taken out may be submitted in advance.
- (4)
- There are no restrictions on reasonable amounts of personal effects or on personal foodstuffs, or, where no question of violation of postal laws or of the Federal Espionage Act is involved, on papers or records taken out by Japanese passengers. Merchandise valued up to $25 also may be taken out by these passengers without license.
As the procedure outlined above does not materially differ from that proposed to be adopted by the Japanese Government on a reciprocal basis subject to the agreement of the American Government, taking into consideration of course the requirements of the respective related laws of the two countries, and as this procedure is already in force in the United States, the American Government is of the opinion that there is little advantage to be gained in entering into a formal arrangement such as that proposed by the Japanese Government in its note No. 118 American 1, dated October 20. Accordingly, this Government hopes that in view of the actual procedure followed by the American Customs authorities, the Japanese Government will on its part without delay put into effect the procedure laid down in its note aforesaid. In this connection, you may in your discretion state to the Foreign Office that the information in this Government’s possession suggests that the procedure attending the departure of Americans from Japan since July 26 has been far stricter than that attending the departure of Japanese from the United States and has involved real hardships for Americans. On the Tatuta Maru sailing from Kobe for Shanghai on August 28, for instance, such Americans were only allowed to take with them without license up to yen 50 and not more than five pieces of baggage containing only clothing and personal effects of nominal value. You may in your discretion mention similar restrictions enforced at the time of other sailings that may be known to you.