894.24/1453
The Department of State to the Japanese Embassy
Memorandum
With reference to the memorandum of the Japanese Embassy dated June 18, 1941, in regard to shipments of petroleum products from the Atlantic Coast of the United States, it may be stated for the information of the Embassy that a recent comprehensive survey of petroleum products in the Eastern part of this country by the Petroleum Coordinator for National Defense disclosed a threatened critical shortage of petroleum products in the area referred to. This fact was brought to the attention of the Department of State by the Petroleum Coordinator, and it was found to be necessary to impose restrictions upon exports of petroleum products from the Eastern seaboard in order to meet that threatened shortage.