611.51G9/35
The American Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs (Matsuoka)
Excellency: I have the honor to refer to Your Excellency’s note no. 3, South Seas II, dated January 7, 1941, in response to my oral representations on November 15, 1940, and my note no. 1714 of December 17, 1940, to Your Excellency concerning interference by Japanese officials in Indo-China with the issuance of permits by the authorities of French Indo-China for the export of American-owned merchandise from that country.
I regret to have to inform Your Excellency that further reports received by my Government indicate that the actions of the Japanese officials in question are at variance with the statement contained in Your Excellency’s note under reference to the effect that “Japanese authorities interfere in no way whatever with the granting of permits by the Indo-China Government for the export of articles the ownership of which is determined to be American.”
According to recent information received by my Government not only do Japanese officials in Indo-China continue to interfere with the granting of permits by appropriate authorities of Indo-China for the re-export of American-owned merchandise, but in one instance at least have caused these authorities to revoke a valid permit previously issued for the re-export of petroleum products owned by an American firm, the Standard Vacuum Oil Company.
In the light of the foregoing, I am instructed by my Government to urge that Your Excellency take without delay the necessary measures to bring about the cessation of this unwarranted interference on the part of the Japanese officials in Indo-China with the movement of American-owned merchandise.
I avail myself [etc.]