Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1935, General, The Near East and Africa, Volume I

500.A15A5/590: Telegram

The Chairman of the American Delegation (Davis) to the Secretary of State

London, December 17, 1935—12 p.m.
[Received December 17—6:50 p.m.]

24. I am officially denying a United Press report to the effect that at today’s bilateral conversations between the Japanese and ourselves, Nagano⁷ stated that Japan was bound to reject a horizontal 20% reduction in naval strength because of the popular apprehension prevailing in Japan regarding the possibility of a United States attack.

Nagai⁸ told me that the Japanese delegation would do likewise.

Davis

7. Admiral Osami Nagano, Japanese delegate to the Naval Conference.
8. Matsuzo Nagai, Japanese Ambassador in the United Kingdom and delegate to the Naval Conference.