693.002/396: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan (Grew)
Washington, November 26, 1937—8
p.m.
317. Your 567, November 26, 6 p.m.
- 1.
- Today the British Embassy here has left at the Department a further aide-mémoire6 in which it is stated that Mr. Okazaki informed Hall-Patch on November 23 that negotiations must be conducted by the Japanese Consul General of Shanghai with Mr. Lawford of the Chinese Maritime Customs Service and that the Japanese authorities would brook no interference from any quarter whatsoever. The British informed us that they take strong exception to this attitude of the Japanese authorities at Shanghai and that they intend that the British Ambassador at Tokyo should make strong representations to the Japanese Government. The British Ambassador would be instructed to point out that the Customs Administration and revenues are, as the Japanese Government has recognized, an international concern and that the British Government is unable to admit that any arrangement can properly be reached between the local customs officials (influenced by the threat of military pressure) and the Japanese authorities at Shanghai without reference to them and to the other governments concerned. The British express the hope that we will take parallel action at Tokyo.
- 2.
- The statements made in the British aide-mémoire as indicated above do not appear to be in conformity with the statements made [Page 883] to you by Hirota as reported in the penultimate sentence of your telegram under reference.
- 3.
- Please endeavor to clarify and inform Department by urgent cable.
Repeated to Shanghai.7
Hull