Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1938, The Far East, Volume III

741.94/225: Telegram

The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State

Tokyo, November 26, 1938—3 p.m.
[Received November 27—7 a.m.]

752. The local press has recently carried reports to the effect that the Japanese Ambassador in London had persuaded the British Government of the advantage of cooperation with Japan in the Far East.

In this connection my British colleague showed me this morning a telegram from his Government stating that no such message has in any way been inspired by any official or any department in London. Shigemitsu³⁸ has recently held conversations with Sir H. Wilson³⁹ and with Leith-Ross⁴⁰ and it is believed that he subsequently made some communication to the London representative of Domei. The British Government would not be surprised if reports of this nature voice a number of hopes whether justifiedly or not which get into the Japanese press transformed into statements of fact. The British Government adds that the American Government and myself may rest assured that the British Government has no intention of being inveigled into negotiations for a deal with Japan inimical to the rights or interest of China or of any other third party.

Grew

38. Japanese Ambassador in the United Kingdom.
39. Chief industrial adviser to the British Government.
40. Chief economic adviser to the British Government.