793.94/14732: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan ( Grew ) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 20—9:35 a.m.]
100. The Minister of Foreign Affairs in the course of a recent conversation with my British colleague said that talk of foreign economic pressure on Japan tended to stimulate the movement here for economic self-sufficiency or at least to lessen Japan’s reliance on foreign powers. On Craigie’s observing that too much attention should not be paid to press talk, the Minister replied that he understood that the Governments of Great Britain and the United States had been exchanging views on this subject. The Ambassador responded that despite the unfair treatment of our interests during 18 months the fact remained that economic pressure had not been applied although it was his opinion that such pressure could be made overwhelming in present circumstances. In any case the simply [simple?] remedy of dealing more reasonably with the rights and interests of foreign powers remained with Japan.