751G.94/60: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 4—11:22 a.m.]
789. Department’s telegram No. 334, September 3, 6 p.m. Reference to paragraph (1). As the Minister was temporarily ill, I approached the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs this afternoon on the subject of French Indochina in precise accord with your instructions.
The Vice Minister denied that he knew anything about an ultimatum, but he did not deny that armed forces of Japan did intend to seek passage through French Indochina. Ohashi said that the Japanese intention was a matter of military necessity; that there would be no permanent occupation of French territory; and that [Page 293] Japan would withdraw the forces in question as soon as the military necessity ceased to exist. I spoke with emphasis on the attitude of the American Government; likewise on Japan’s expressed attitude toward maintaining the status quo in French Indochina, and on the deplorable effect which the execution of the stated intention of Japan’s armed forces would have on American public opinion.
Shortly after my interview with the Vice Minister, similar representations were made by the British Ambassador, who received approximately the same reply.