Office of the Historian

123 Allison, John M./178: Telegram

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

Tokyo, February 1, 1938—4 p.m.
[Received February 1—6:55 a.m.]

64. Department’s 32, January 31, 1 [3] p.m.,40 Allison incident.41

1.
In view of inaccurate and misleading information occasionally given out to the press by the spokesman of the Foreign Office, it seems desirable to record that in my interview with the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs this morning I confined myself to the simple formal statement that “my Government accepts the Japanese reply” and told him of the press release in Washington. An informal word of my personal satisfaction at the prompt steps taken by the Japanese Government to settle the case was also expressed.
2.
The Vice Minister took the occasion to express regret that the spokesman of the Foreign Office “through a misunderstanding” had yesterday announced to the press that I had immediately accepted the reply and called the incident closed on Sunday night. The Vice Minister said he was aware that I had not given official acceptance until consulting Washington.
3.
The Vice Minister on behalf of the Minister for Foreign Affairs this morning expressed to me “gratitude” at the action of the American Government in accepting the Japanese reply.

Repeated to Shanghai for Nanking and Hankow.

Grew
  1. Not printed.↩
  2. For press releases concerning this incident, issued by the Department on January 28 and 31, see Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931–1941, Vol. i, pp. 570 and 574.↩