893.111/390: Telegram
The Consul at Tsingtao (Sokobin) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 15—3 a.m.]
182. The Japanese naval authorities are now requiring each foreigner embarking at Tsingtao on all steamships, including Japanese vessels, and regardless of destination, to obtain in each instance a “travelling certificate” which must be visaed by the local Japanese Consul General and the local Japanese resident naval officer. Without such visaed certificates passengers are not permitted by Japanese sentries to board vessels.
- 2.
- In the past the blanket approval of the steamship’s passenger list by the Japanese authorities sufficed, but the present requirement of individual visas of travelling certificates is causing much resentment because of considerable inconvenience to the summer visitors here due to inadequate Japanese staff for issuance of the visas. Much resentment expressed also because of this assumption of absolute control of the movement of all foreigners in Tsingtao.
- 3.
- I have already called on Japanese Consulate in regard to this matter and possibly there will be an early amelioration at least in respect to prompt issuance of visas to Americans.
Repeated to Chungking, Peiping, Chefoo, Tientsin, Shanghai. By mail to Tokyo.