893.6363/173: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 21—7:10 a.m.]
478. Department’s 251, July 20, 6 p.m., in regard to the organization of oil companies. In my interview today with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, emphatic and insistent oral representations were made along the lines set forth by the Department both in principle and in detail and the Minister was left in no doubt as to the grave concern with which the American Government views the developments under reference. On behalf of the Government of the United States, I entered an emphatic protest against the organization of such monopolistic companies which we regard as nullifying repeated Japanese assurances concerning the maintenance of the Open Door and equality of opportunity in China.
General Ugaki after listening intently to my representations said that he was unfamiliar with the facts which I had presented but that he would investigate them immediately and in the meantime he reiterated his previous assurances that the Open Door in China will be maintained and that the Japanese Government will fully respect the principle of equal opportunity.
Repeated to Shanghai for Peiping and Hankow.