394.115 Panay/330
The Navy Department to the Department of State
[Received December 20, 1937.]
The following information has been received from the Commander-in-Chief Asiatic Fleet under date of 18 December, 1937:
In the event that the Japanese Government suggests recalling Admiral Hasegawa as one of the amends for the Panay incident and as press reports from Tokyo indicate that possibility the following is submitted to the department:
Admiral Hasegawa has been easy to deal with during the past incident and has been very considerate. Because of his duty in Washington as Naval Attaché he is friendly towards the U. S. I believe that he conscientiously did his utmost to prevent an outbreak of hostilities at Shanghai and that he does not favor the current extreme militaristic policy of his Government. Our difficulties will probably be greatly increased if any other officer replaces him.