Office of the Historian

701.9394/18: Telegram

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

Tokyo, January 24, 1938—1 p.m.
[Received January 24—7:05 a.m.]

49. Department’s 22, January 23, 3 p.m. The Foreign Office spokesman on January 21 made the following statement which appeared in the local press.

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“Although it has ceased to deal with General Chiang Kai Shek’s regime, the Japanese Government will continue to accord diplomatic and consular privileges to Chinese diplomatic and consular officials representing the National Government.”74

The Foreign Office this morning upon discreet approach confirmed the foregoing and stated categorically that the status of the Chinese Chargé d’Affaires would remain unchanged.

In other words it is the view of the Japanese Government that the de jure status of the Japanese and Chinese diplomatic and consular officials respectively remains unchanged.

Repeated to Shanghai for Nanking and Johnson.

Grew
  1. The Secretary of State informed the Chinese Ambassador to this effect on January 24 and added “that this would seem to dispose of his request, to which he assented.” For the request of December 13, 1937, see Foreign Relations, 1937, vol. iii, p. 803.↩