611.51G9/31
The American Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs (Matsuoka)
Excellency: Referring to Your Excellency’s note No. 3–Confidential/South Seas II, dated January 7, 1941, relating to the interference with the movement of American-owned merchandise in French Indochina, and with specific reference to the last paragraph thereof, I have the honor to inform Your Excellency that my Government is not aware of any right on the part of the Japanese forces in French Indochina to engage in procedures of confiscation or to require or to request that American firms produce evidence of their ownership of merchandise in that country in connection with exports or otherwise.
I avail myself [etc.]