Office of the Historian

762.9411/21: Telegram

The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State

Toyko, September 27, 1940—10 p.m.
[Received September 27—2:15 p.m.]

909. At 9:45 o’clock tonight we were given by the Foreign Office the following four documents in English translation shortly before their release to the press:

1.
Summary of the three-power pact between Japan, Germany and Italy signed on September 27, 1940 at Berlin;
2.
Radio address by the Minister for Foreign Affairs;
3.
Imperial rescript by the Emperor;
4.
Message of the Prime Minister.

In view of the prime importance of these documents in connection with the present critical crisis and being informed that complete texts may not be cabled to the American press, I feel obliged to telegraph documents numbers 2, 3, and 4 in full so that Department may study their tone and substance without delay. The texts follow [Page 165] in three ensuing telegrams. The summary of the pact6 itself had already been announced on the radio from the United States tonight.

Grew
  1. Summary of pact as transmitted to the Department by the Ambassador in Japan in his despatch No. 5038, October 5, 1940, is printed infra.↩