Foreign Relations of the United States, Diplomatic Papers, 1939, The Far East; The Near East and Africa, Volume IV

393.115/799: Telegram

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

Washington, December 8, 1939—5 p.m.

389. Your 639, November 29, 7 p.m. The Department suggests for your consideration the desirability of the Embassy’s acknowledging the receipt of the recent replies made by the Japanese Foreign Office to this Government’s representations in regard to the damage of American property and interests in China.³ You might state that the Japanese replies will be referred to the appropriate consular offices in China, and through them to the injured parties, for investigation of the facts and subsequent report to the Department. In this connection you might add that the replies which the Japanese Government has made in the past to representations of this Government in regard to damage of American properties and interests have been similarly referred to the field and that in the majority of cases in which such investigations have been made the statements of facts as reported to the Department have been at variance with the reports of the Japanese military authorities upon which the Japanese replies have been based. In conclusion you might say that while this Government appreciates the increased interest which the Japanese Government appears to be taking in a number of claims of American citizens against the Japanese Government growing out of the Sino-Japanese hostilities it suggests that a more favorable impression might be created in this country should concrete evidence be received of an earnest desire on the part of the Japanese Government to afford to American claimants equitable amounts in compensation for damages sustained.⁴

The Department assumes that you will forward copies of the Japanese replies in individual cases to the appropriate consular offices in China.

Sent to Tokyo via Peiping.

Hull

3. See note No. 1428, December 13, from the American Ambassador in Japan to the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs, Foreign Relations, Japan. 1931–1941, vol. i, p. 672.
4. See telegram No. 673, December 11, 1 p.m., from the Ambassador in Japan, vol. iii, p. 613.