Foreign Relations of the United States, Diplomatic Papers, 1941, The Far East, Volume V

893.24/1075: Telegram

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

Tokyo, June 6, 1941—noon.
[Received June 7—3:30 a.m.]

773. Embassy’s 770, June 5, 8 p.m.³¹ American cargo at Haiphong.

My French colleague made strong representations to the Japanese Government in a first person note dated May 31, 1941 protesting that the agreement of August 30, 1940³² and the assurances recently given him by the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs do not give the Japanese military the right of confiscation and seizure in Indochinese territory, the sovereign rights of France to such territory being a monopoly. The note points out the responsibility of the French Government, as the sovereign power, toward the foreign owners of the goods at Haiphong and states that the French Government cannot accept the Japanese proposal that these goods be transferred out of Indochinese territory. The note, however, proposes that an arrangement be made between the two governments for the establishment of one or more depots in Indochina where these goods could be stored under joint Franco-Japanese control “offering every guaranty of security”.

Translation of note will go forward by mail on June 14.³³

Sent to the Department via Shanghai.

Grew

31. Not printed; see Ambassador Grew’s note of June 3, 1941, Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931–1941, vol. ii, p. 312.
32. For summary of agreement, see telegram No. 496, September 5, 1940, 6 p.m., from the Chargé in France, Foreign Relations, 1940, vol. iv, p. 100.
33. Not printed.