741.9411/211: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 22—10:20 a.m.]
183. My 179, August 17, midnight.75 An unofficial English friend told member of my staff last evening that he had asked Kurusu, Director of the Commercial Bureau of the Foreign Office to explain about the rumored revival of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance. Kurusu replied that while he knew nothing about it himself he did know that something of the kind was going on. Kurusu said, however, that it would not be an open alliance, because the term “alliance” would be offensive, and that a term like “pact” would be used. The implication was that some kind of an agreement is being or has been negotiated in comparative secrecy.
The spokesman of the Foreign Office on being questioned by press correspondents on Monday gave a reply which might be regarded as evasive because he is reported to have stated that so far as he was aware no such Anglo-Japanese conversations are going on “at present.”
As I am unaware whether the Department is cognizant of such rumored negotiations or in possession of pertinent information, I shall make no official inquiries unless instructed. The British Ambassador is absent from Tokyo but expects to return next week. I am inclined to believe that the negotiations, if any, are being or have been carried on in London.
Repeated to Peiping.
- Not printed.↩