Office of the Historian

711.94/2550: Telegram

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

Tokyo, December 6, 1941—7 p.m.
[Received 8:19 p.m.]

1901. I learn from what is believed to be a reliable Japanese source that General Tojo’s speech of November 3077 had been seen neither by the Prime Minister nor by any other member of the Cabinet prior to its delivery. The speech was read by proxy as is commonly done in Japan. Observers point out that tone and substance of the speech [Page 727] differs entirely from the other utterances by Tojo and it is believed that the address was written by some person in the Imperial Rule Assistance Association.

Grew
  1. See telegram No. 1869, December 1, 3 p.m., from the Ambassador in Japan, Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931–1941, vol. ii, p. 148; also memorandum and statement of December 2, ibid., pp. 777 and 778.↩