761.9411/40: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 22—9:20 a.m.]
133. 1. It is possible that the American press may report a news despatch appearing in the Japanese press today to the effect that the Soviet Ambassador again recently proposed to Premier Hirota the conclusion of a Kusso-Japanese non-aggression pact which was again refused by Hirota. The facts as ascertained by the Embassy from the Soviet Embassy today are as follows:
2. Yureneff who had obtained leave of absence but whose leave has since been postponed called on the Premier at the latter’s request on June 10 to say farewell. In the course of a general discussion of Russo-Japanese affairs the Premier brought up the question of the large number of Soviet troops stationed on or near the Soviet-Manchukuo-Korean borders. Yureneff stated that a political rather than a military solution might be found for this question and recalled the fact that the Soviet Union in 1931 had proposed a non-aggression pact. The Premier shrugged the suggestion aside with the statement “we shall find some other way”.
3. The Counsellor of the Soviet Embassy stated that the Soviet Union will not remove its troops from the border unless a non-aggression pact is concluded; it will in such case move the troops further from the border but will not demolish the border fortifications.
4. It is not clear why the Japanese press gives publicity to this conversation today 12 days after it was held.