893.0146/786: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
437. 1. The Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs today handed to the Italian Chargé d’Affaires a communication offering friendly advice to withdraw Italian troops and warships from those parts of China under Japanese control. Similar communications were also handed to the British and French Ambassadors today repeating the Japanese advices of last September.60 A copy of the communication to the Italian Chargé which was furnished to us at 5 p.m. today and to the German Embassy by the Foreign Office follows:
- “(a) On September 5, 1940 [1939], following the outbreak of war in Europe, the Japanese Government, as you are aware of from the communication transmitted to Ambassador Auriti for his information, offered an advice to Great Britain, France, Germany, and Poland concerning voluntary withdrawal of the troops and warships of the belligerent powers in China.
- (b) In that advice the Japanese Government stated their view that the presence of the troops and warships of the belligerent powers in those regions in China under the control of Japanese forces was liable to ‘give rise to untoward incidents and to a situation not in keeping with Japan’s policy of non-involvement.’ This view the Japanese Government have continued to maintain ever since.
- (c) Now, as the result of Italian participation in the European war on the side of Germany and against Great Britain and France there has arisen a situation in China which greatly intensifies the apprehension of the Japanese Government by reason of the presence in close proximity of the troops and warships of the opposing powers that are stationed in Shanghai, Peiping, and Tientsin.
- (d) Accordingly, the Japanese Government find it necessary to offer a friendly advice that Italian troops and warships be voluntarily withdrawn from the above-mentioned regions.
- (e) After the withdrawal of Italian troops and warships Japanese authorities, it should be added, will exercise their best efforts toward the protection of the lives and property of Italian nationals in China.
- (f) I should add that the present advice is to be tendered simultaneously to Great Britain and France and the matter is to be communicated to the Governments of the United States and Germany for their information.
June 11, 1940.”
2. In the communications to the British and French Ambassadors the following slight changes in wording occur:
- (a) Reads as follows: “Upon the outbreak of war in Europe September last the Japanese Government, as Your Excellency is aware [Page 78] of, offered a friendly advice to the four powers—namely Great Britain, France, Germany, and Poland—etc.”
- Paragraphs (b), (c), and (f) are unchanged.
- Paragraph (d) reads as follows: “Accordingly, the Japanese Government feel Keenly the need of urging in a friendly manner that British and French troops and warships should be withdrawn voluntarily, and they desire to repeat their advice of last year.”
- Paragraph (e) is omitted.
Repeated to Shanghai.