711.94/1419: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 14—1:50 p.m.]
119. Our 107, February 11, 6 p.m.7 The Foreign Minister is reported to have made the following reply in the Budget Committee of the Lower House today to the recent interpellation from a member regarding cases pending between the United States and Japan: [Page 675]
“It is our policy to settle cases with the United States over matters in China as far as possible on the spot. However, the United States does not necessarily desire settlement on the spot, and in a considerable number of cases, because of their nature or for other reasons, has requested settlement in Tokyo. We are not fully aware in Tokyo of what cases have arisen on the spot between Japan and the United States.
The cases to which I shall now refer are those which have been taken up principally in Tokyo. From the outbreak of the incident until the end of last month, of the cases made the subject of protests in writing to the Foreign Office by the American Government, some 210 cases remain unsettled. Of the total, 149 relate to air attacks.
I must point out in this connection that our military forces have been taking every precaution to avoid damage to other than military objectives; that they have made particular efforts to avoid damage to third-power interests by conducting prior investigations; and that every consideration has been given to the method of attack. The efforts of our military authorities in this regard can only be the subject of admiration. Despite these efforts, there have been cases of damage to American property, due either to the failure to receive notification of the location of the property or to improper notification or to the lack of necessary markings. Moreover, there have been other cases in which damage has been caused to American property by Japanese air attacks because of the utilization by the Chinese of the property or because of the fact that it was adjacent to military objectives or from other causes, of which the total amounts to some 110 since the outbreak of the incident. Included in this number are two or three cases in which there was death and bodily injury to American citizens. With respect to those cases in the areas under Japanese military occupation careful investigation is undertaking [undertaken] and appropriate disposition made. In those cases where damage to life and limb has occurred a solatium has been paid and the cases settled. Of the cases related above, 149 are pending.
Cases in the second category include those of occupation, destruction, or expropriation at the hands of the Japanese military. These are 73 in number. The remaining cases have arisen from military operations, movements or garrisoning of troops. Some have occurred also because they were necessary from the standpoint of military strategy. We are investigating reports with care and in detail and are disposing of the cases in a just and reasonable fashion.
The third category, which does not involve damage, consists of customs, Salt Gabelle, North China exchange control, yen-bloc currency, railway loans, the opening of the Yangtze, the purchase of tobacco, eggs, hides and skins, native products from the interior, and travel into the interior. These cases are about 10 in number. As 600 cases have been commonly mentioned, I do not know the source from which such a figure comes. Perhaps it refers to the number of relatively minor cases which have been settled locally. However, the point is not clear. The cases being handled by the Foreign Office are some 210 in number.”
Repeated to Shanghai. Shanghai please repeat to Tokyo and Chungking.
- Not printed.↩