393.115/1187

The American Embassy in Japan to the Japanese Ministry for Foreign Affairs

No. 1871

The American Embassy presents its compliments to the Imperial Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and has the honor to inform the Ministry that, according to reports received from the American Consul at Chefoo, armed guards, acting under orders from the Japanese military mission, were posted on July 28, 1941, at five American firms in Chefoo, including the Standard-Vacuum Oil Company and the Texas Company, detaining the foreign and Chinese staffs on the premises without communication with the American Consulate. The American Consul reported that on the following day the American firms had regained freedom of access to the business premises but that police guards remained stationed on the premises.

In drawing the attention of the Ministry to the foregoing report, the American Embassy requests that the Japanese authorities take [Page 907] prompt steps to effect withdrawal of any military or police guards which may still be posted on American property in Chefoo, and to prevent further instances of the detention of Americans or the unwarranted detention of non-American employees of American firms. In this connection, the American Embassy, acting under instructions wishes to state that actions by the Japanese authorities, constituting further expansion of the already extensive Japanese interference with American rights and interests in China, are viewed with serious concern by the American Government.