711.942/291: Telegram

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

528. The Asahi attributes the following statement concerning American-Japanese relations to Premier Abe at his press interview yesterday. All papers carry substantially the same statement:

“Although I have been and am giving much thought to the problem of the abrogation of the treaty of Commerce and Navigation of 1911 between the United States [and] Japan, I cannot as yet make any statement about it. The validity of the treaty once abrogated cannot be temporarily prolonged; but it may be possible to conclude a modus vivendi.”

Repeated to Shanghai. Shanghai please repeat to Peiping and Chungking.

Grew