500.A4B/559: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 18—2:47 a.m.]
204. I was informed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs yesterday that Japan had definitely decided to give notice before December 31, 1934, to terminate the Washington Naval Treaty. Although many elements in the Navy wished to abrogate immediately, the Minister said that he had insisted on delaying until after the London conversations in October, as he intended to discuss the subject with the other [Page 254] signatories before abrogation so as not to give offense and also for the purpose of avoiding the unfavorable atmosphere before the next naval conference which, if abrogation should take place without a preliminary mutual understanding, might arise. The Minister stated that the abrogation discussions would be conducted separately with the various signatories and that the matter would be taken up with the American delegation at the preliminary conversations in London by Matsudaira, the Japanese Ambassador in Great Britain.