694.11241/29
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan ( Grew )
Sir: There is enclosed a copy of despatch No. 790, dated March 29, 1934, from the American Consul General at Tokyo40 concerning the effecting of a reciprocal agreement for the extension of the privilege of importing articles for their personal use free of duty to American and Japanese consular officers in the country of the other.
You will please ascertain whether (as stated by the Consul General in the despatch of March 29) there exists a reciprocal arrangement between the Japanese Government and any other Government under the provisions of which the consular officers of each in the country of the other enjoy the privilege of importing articles for their personal use free of duty. If the answer should be in the affirmative, you are instructed to propose to the competent Japanese authorities the conclusion of a similar reciprocal arrangement between the United States and Japan. Under the proposed arrangement, in addition to the free entry of baggage and effects upon arrival and return to their posts in this country after visits abroad which Japanese consular officers assigned to the United States already enjoy, such officers who are Japanese nationals and not engaged in any private occupation for gain, and their families, would be accorded, on a basis of reciprocity, the privilege of importing free of duty articles for their personal use at any time during their official residence, with the understanding that no article the importation of which is prohibited by the laws of the United States would be imported by them.
Very truly yours,
- Not printed.↩