756D.94/108: Telegram
The Consul General at Batavia (Foote) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 28—7:16 a.m.]
Reference is made to my telegram dated January 22, 3 p.m.
The Netherlands delegation has just informed me that according to information from a reliable source the Nippon Yusen Kaisha has received instructions from its main office, acting under instructions from the Government of Japan, to cancel all freight contracts involving Singapore. The local authorities believe that this may possibly be the beginning of the withdrawal of Japanese ships from Netherlands Indies and British waters as a prelude to more aggressive demands by the Japanese delegation. While I am not able to verify this report it is a fact that Yoshizawa61 and the other delegates are taking a more aggressive attitude. With few exceptions local officials are of the opinion that hostilities cannot be delayed much longer. Their [Page 46] opinion is based on the assumption that Yoshizawa believes that the United States would not intervene.
Sent to the Department and repeated to Tokyo.
- Kenkiehi Yoshizawa, former Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs, head of the Japanese Trade Mission to the Netherlands East Indies.↩