Office of the Historian

792.94/123

The British Embassy to the Department of State 16

May 23, 1941

Telegram From London Dated May 23rd

Japan.

Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs has invoked our good offices with Netherlands Government to prevent economic negotiations with Netherlands East Indies breaking down. He claims that agreement is reached on all commodities except tin and rubber, of which Dutch will only supply quantities reduced in proportion to increased supplies obtained by Japan from Indo China, Siam.

He asserts Japanese requirements cannot thus be met but shows reluctance to contemplate any Japanese guarantee against re-export. Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs has threatened Netherlands Minister with recall of chief Japanese Economic Delegate in Netherlands East Indies and with possible further steps.

  1. Forwarded on May 27 to the Adviser on Political Relations (Hornbeck) by the British Minister (Butler).↩