756D.94/178: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
Tokyo, August 26,
1941—9 p.m.
[Received August 26—2:50 p.m.]
[Received August 26—2:50 p.m.]
1310. My Netherlands colleague74 has given me in the strictest confidence the following account of his conversation on August 23 with the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs.75
- 1.
- The Vice Minister said: on July 28 the Japanese Consul General at Batavia was informed by Mr. van Hoogstraten, of the Economic Section of the Netherlands East Indies Government, that the exportation of oil to Japan under contracts already approved by the Indies Government will in the future be possible only under special permits. The Japanese Consul General protested. On August 19 Mr. van Hoogstraten told the Japanese Consul General that cargoes for two out of three Japanese tankers now in Indies ports had been refused and that [Page 282] the supply of cargo for the third tanker was under deliberation. Mr. van Hoogstraten went on to say to Mr. Ishizawa that the Indies Government felt that the presence of Japanese troops in Indochina was a threat to the Indies and that as a consequence relations between Japan and the Indies have been completely altered. He declared that hereafter no exportation of oil to Japan will be permitted unless (1) Japan declares publicly that she has no intention of attacking the Netherlands East Indies; (2) Japan withdraws her troops from southern Indochina. Even if the foregoing two conditions are fulfilled, the Indies Government will allow the exportation to Japan only of oil of such quality that Japan’s offensive military power will not thereby be increased, the quality of oil to be determined by Netherlands experts. The Vice Minister continued: A report had just been received that the granting of concession for the exploitation by Mitsui interests of areas at Sangkulirang and permission for exploration of this concession field have been suddenly postponed.
- 2.
- The Vice Minister inquired whether the information communicated by Mr. van Hoogstraten to the Japanese Consul General was correct and whether his statements were made on behalf of the Netherlands Government. In conclusion he said that Japan feels great concern over the attitude of the Netherlands authorities as reflected in the statements of Mr. van Hoogstraten, and he requested that my Netherlands colleague communicate to his Government that the Government of Japan asks that: (1) No measures harmful to relations between the Netherlands East Indies and Japan be taken by the Netherlands Government; (2) the Netherlands East Indies carry out the oil contracts previously concluded; (3) the Indies Government withdraw its action postponing the granting of the concession at Sangkulirang.
- 3.
- The Vice Minister assured my Netherlands colleague that the occupation by Japan of Indochina was not in any way a threat to the Netherlands East Indies. General Pabst suggested that a public declaration to that effect would possibly carry more weight with his Government than an assurance of the character just made by Mr. Amau. Mr. Amau said that Japanese opinion had become aroused over the provocative attitude of the Indies Government that consideration could not be given to the issuance at this time of an open declaration expressing Japan’s peaceful intentions toward the Netherlands East Indies.
- 4.
- The statements contained in paragraph 1 above coincide with the contents of a telegram to General Pabst from the Indies Government.
Grew