125.6331/174: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in China (Johnson)
231. Your 324, July 26, 4 p.m. and 327, July 27, 3 p.m.57 The Department realizes that this incident calls for serious consideration and commends the promptness and detail with which the Consulate General58 and the Legation reported and made recommendations.
The essential facts seem to be that a Japanese youth, apparently insane, tore down the consular sign, entered the Consulate building and threatened a member of the consular staff; that no one received physical injury; that the Japanese Consul General, upon being informed of the incident, called in person at the Consulate General and expressed orally his regret at the incident and his relief that no one had been injured; that there appears to be no evidence of definite negligence on the part of the police or evidence that the attacker acted with “instructions, assistance or encouragement from any quarter”; that the attacker was taken promptly into custody; and that the Japanese authorities appear to be handling the case in accordance with Japanese law and regulation.
On the basis of the information before it, the Department is disposed to regard the incident as the irresponsible act of a young and deranged individual and to believe that the question of his motives would be difficult of determination and should not be permitted to be made an issue.
The Department will make no decision until the receipt from Tokyo of the Ambassador’s comment.
The Consulate General should not further discuss this case with the Japanese authorities until further word from the Department.
Repeat to Mukden and to Tokyo.