761.9411/62: Telegram

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

667. Our 663, December 6, 7 p.m.

1.
The Foreign Office last night informed the press that Dooman inquired of Yoshizawa with regard to the accuracy of the statement [Page 98] attributed to Suma by the correspondent of the New York Times to the effect that a treaty of nonaggression with the Soviet Union is not on Japan’s program, and that the statement had been confirmed by Yoshizawa. Speculative stories based on this release are the chief feature articles in all papers this morning.
2.
The fact that the Foreign Office profited by our inquiry to give public indication of its position on the important question of relations with the United States and the Soviet Union respectively is, we believe, a healthy sign.
Grew