693.002 Manchuria/104: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 26—6:45 a.m.]
714. Following from Reuter:
1. Shanghai, June 24: “It is officially announced that Sir Frederick Maze, with the approval of Mr. T. V. Soong, has dismissed Mr. Fukumoto, the Commissioner of Customs at Dairen, for his gross insubordination, he having refused to remit the customs funds to Shanghai”.
2. Tokyo, June 25: “The Japanese Government has protested to Nanking at the dismissal of Mr. Fukumoto, Commissioner of Customs at Dairen, as contrary to article 3 of the 1907 agreement which stipulates that there shall be no dismissals or appointments of customs officials at Dairen without first consulting the Governor of Kwantung Peninsula.
Protesting that the arbitrary step taken in disregarding negotiations at present taking place in Peiping, aiming at an amicable solution, Japan holds the Chinese Government responsible for whatever developments are precipitated.
Official circles here are said to have been perturbed on learning that Manchukuo was definitely preparing to establish customs at Wafangtien [Page 113] on the border of the Kwantung leased territory if Dairen refuses to remit customs funds to Changchun as this would entail a double payment of customs.
Unofficial observers consider that the Nanking Government’s dismissal of Mr. Fukumoto opens the way for Japan to negotiate with Manchukuo on the whole question of the Manchurian customs. Hence Japan’s intimation to Nanking that China will be held responsible for whatever developments arise.
Although it is still asserted that Japan is unlikely to recognize Manchukuo before the Lytton report is published it is expected that one of Count Uchida’s first acts after his installation as Foreign Minister probably on July 5 will be to issue a statement clarifying Japan’s aims and intentions in Manchuria.”