Office of the Historian

793.003/898: Telegram

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

Tokyo, June 27, 1938—2 p.m.
[Received June 27—7:18 a.m.]

416. Department’s 211, June 25, 2 p.m.—extraterritorial status of Americans.

1.
Representations as desired by the Department were made to the Foreign Office today.85 We referred to the Shanghai case described in the Department’s 384, December 30, 1 [3] p.m.86 and to the interview which I had with Hirota87 on January 10 recalling that I had stated that the American Government would not recognize or give countenance to any attempt on the part of the Japanese to assert jurisdiction over American citizens. The Foreign Office replied that a telegram had been received over the week-end from the Japanese Ambassador at Washington who reported that the statement of the Japanese Embassy’s spokesman at Shanghai had been prominently carried in the American press and had shocked the American public. The Foreign Office has taken steps to obtain from Shanghai the text [Page 378] of the statement under reference. We intend therefore to make a further approach in the matter either tomorrow or the day after.88
2.
In the absence of any official information on the subject, the Foreign Office was reluctant to express any opinion. We pointed out however that if the Japanese Government were to confirm and approve the statement made as reported, the position of the Japanese Government would be open to most serious implications including that of claiming rights of sovereignty in the areas under Japanese occupation in disregard of treaty commitments and declarations with regard to respecting the territorial integrity of China.
3.
My British colleague informs me that he is making representations on this matter this afternoon.

Repeated to Shanghai for Hankow.

Grew
  1. See memorandum of June 27, Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931–1941, vol. i, p. 769.↩
  2. Foreign Relations, 1937, vol. iv, p. 426.↩
  3. Koki Hirota, Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs until May 26.↩
  4. See memorandum of June 30, Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931–1941, vol. i, p. 770; also see memorandum of July 4, ibid., pp. 605, 609–610.↩