894.002/258
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 28.]
Sir: I have the honor to report that General Jiro Minami, Minister for War at the time of the outbreak in Manchuria in 1931, has been appointed to the combined posts of Commander of the Kwantung Army and Ambassador to “Manchukuo” with control of the Government of the Kwantung Leased Territory, succeeding General Takashi Hishikari, who will, it is stated, be made a member of the Supreme War Council.
The change in personnel is stated not to involve any change in the policy of Japan in Manchuria. Apparently it is partly routine, and partly a desire to have a new man in charge to carry out fully the recent changes which the Government of Japan recently introduced in the Japanese Governmental organs in that region. This subject was discussed in my despatch No. 1019 of October 20, 1934.
Respectfully yours,