740.0011 European War 1939/12828: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 4—1:30 p.m.]
930. The Soviet Ambassador came to the Embassy today by appointment to express his felicitations on Independence Day. He said that in his recent talk with the Foreign Minister, Mr. Matsuoka had stated that Japan is in a very delicate and difficult position; that there would be no alteration in Japan’s policy for the present but that if circumstances should change, Japan’s policy might also change. According to the Ambassador, the Minister for Foreign Affairs made no allusion to the Japanese-Soviet neutrality treaty except that he “remembered it.” The Ambassador characterized Mr. Matsuoka’s foregoing statement as “very strange.”
It is understood that the ladies of the Soviet Embassy are leaving for Russia tomorrow.
Repeated to Moscow.