793.94/4247: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 17—6 a.m.]
On February 13th the Japanese Minister called on me and I understood him to say that the Japanese forces which had just arrived would not be landed in the Settlement area. A few hours later I learned that Japanese troops were being landed within the Settlement. When I reminded Japanese Minister of his statement he wrote me a personal letter February 15th from which I quote the following: [Page 367]
“I regret if I gave you to understand that the landing of Japanese troops would not take place within the Settlement under any circumstances. The greater part of the Japanese forces were landing outside the Settlement area. It is my understanding that Japanese troops are coming here on the same footing as the defense forces of any other country in order to defend its own nationals’ life and property.”