Office of the Historian

711.942/622: Telegram

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

Tokyo, September 1, 1940—2 p.m.
[Received September 2—7:15 a.m.]

772. Department’s 329, August 29, 8 p.m. In justice to Mr. Matsuoka30 it should be emphasized that he had labeled his remarks as “off the record”, as stated in my despatch, that he was therefore not attempting precise phraseology, and that from the context of his remarks it was clear that the “blow” to which he referred was not the actual abrogation of the commercial treaty of 1911 but our notification of intent to abrogate.

The facts and views presented by the Department will be carefully observed in future pertinent conversation.

Sent to the Department. Repeated to Chungking, Peiping and Tsingtao for Commander in Chief.

Grew
  1. Yosuke Matsuoka, Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs since July 22.↩