Office of the Historian

762.94/77: Telegram

The Chargé in Japan (Dickover) to the Secretary of State

Tokyo, November 13, 1936—5 p.m.
[Received November 13—10:10 a.m.]

232. Embassy’s 231, November 11, 6 p.m.

1.
The Embassy has learned that a ban was issued to the Japanese press a week ago on publication of news relating to negotiations between [Page 392] Japan and “a certain foreign country.” This morning the Foreign Office spokesman informed the foreign newspaper correspondents that telegraphic press despatches referring to rumored negotiations between Japan and Germany or to the conversations between the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the German Ambassador would be refused transmission and that a press ban on these subjects would be enforced against all newspapers published in Japan.
2.
The above would tend to confirm the rumor reported in the Embassy’s 231 that an important diplomatic project having to do with Germany is under consideration. There is much speculation in Tokyo as to the nature of the project but informed sources believe that any agreement which may be reached will not be in the nature of an alliance or military agreement but will be some sort of joint declaration opposed to Communism; in other words, a declaration indicating that Japan is aligning itself with the Fascist nations.
Dickover