711.942/418: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 28—7:22 a.m.]
710. Our 708, December 27, 3 p.m.
1. Suma’s explanation reads as follows:
“Due to the fact that the interview between the Foreign Minister and the American Ambassador was held with a very constructive spirit and a mutually helpful attitude as well as the fact that progress was made, Mr. Suma tried to convey such atmosphere of the meeting from an objective standpoint to the reporters who were waiting for some announcement. Then he added a remark to the effect that the removal of material difficulties arising from the expiry of the commercial treaty might be expected. If there has been any misunderstanding with reference to what he said, it is due to mistranslation of his verbal remarks. The primary purpose of his remarks was simply to convey faithfully the atmosphere pervading the interview between the Foreign Minister and the Ambassador.”
2. The Foreign Office sent us a copy of the following excerpt from the record of yesterday’s press conference at the Foreign Office:
“At the press conference of Mr. Suma with foreign correspondents on December 27, Mr. Hugh Byas of the New York Times put in the query ‘Will not the effects of the American Government’s decision not to impose tonnage duties and other tariffs on Japanese goods and shipping54 practically remove the possible effects of the non-treaty situation?’
To this Mr. Suma explained: ‘Materially speaking, the commercial transactions between Japan and the United States will be carried on just as they have been in the past as the consequence of the steps taken by the American Government. As for the rights for residence, and other matters, I believe and hope that they will be amicably settled through negotiations. A few newspapers reported as if Ambassador Grew gave the Foreign Minister an assurance that a non-treaty situation will not arise in return for Japan’s offer to reopen the Yangtze River, but they are mistaken.’”
- See press release No. 19–75, issued by the Treasury Department December 22, Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931–1941, Vol. ii, p. 195.↩