701.9493/92: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 15—9:30 a.m.]
106. 1. Department’s 80, May 14, 7 p.m. received and decoded today at 3 p.m. I saw the Minister for Foreign Affairs at 3:45 and orally and informally carried out the Department’s instructions.
2. The Minister informed me that the Counsellor of the British Embassy had this morning advised the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs that the British Government had likewise decided to raise its Legation in China to the status of an Embassy. No replies have been received from the French or German Governments.
3. Although all steps have been taken to carry out the decisions of the Japanese Government and although it was intended to make the official announcement tomorrow, the Minister said that he would now withhold the official announcement until Saturday morning May [Page 513] 18 in order to afford the British Government and, in the event of a favorable decision, the American Government an opportunity for simultaneous announcement.
4. The British Embassy informs me that the announcement of the decision of the British Government will be made simultaneously with that of the Japanese Government.
5. I shall endeavor tomorrow to ascertain the precise hour of release in Tokyo and to cable the Department.
Repeated to Peiping.