793.94/15636: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
Tokyo, January 28, 1940—7
p.m.
[Received January 28—10:42 a.m.]
[Received January 28—10:42 a.m.]
58. Department’s 36, January 27, 3 p.m.
- 1.
- The French Counselor informed me today that on January 25 he discussed informally with the Foreign Office the reply which the French Government recently made to the Japanese Ambassador at Paris. A summary of this reply has been made available to me by my French colleague.
- 2.
- The official with whom Baron Fain discussed the matter stated that the reply of the Japanese Government had not yet been formulated and that a committee had been established to study the question. Speaking “quite personally” the official indicated that the Japanese reply might be expected to bring out the following points: (a) In reference to the French contention that Japan is not qualified to claim belligerent rights, the Japanese Government will assert that a de facto war is in progress and that therefore belligerent rights should accrue to Japan; (b) that the Chungking Government is no longer a national government but has been reduced to the status of a local régime.
- 3.
- In the opinion of Baron Fain, the Japanese are much concerned over the possibility of a rupture in the commercial relations with France, which would include not only an embargo on French exports to Japan but the closing of French markets to Japanese goods, and over the unwillingness of the French authorities to grant permission for Japanese commercial planes to fly over Indochina en route eastwards.
Cipher text by mail to Chungking and Peiping.
Grew