394.115 Panay/78: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 15—7:10 a.m.]
635. Reference Embassy’s 630, December 14, 6 p.m.81
Yesterday afternoon, when Yoshizawa82 delivered the note the text of which was communicated in my telegram under reference, he said that the note to us had been so drafted as to relieve our Government of any need for taking any further initiative with a view to the payment of indemnities and of the punishment of those responsible, beyond indicating to the Japanese Government the amount which it would be expected to pay as indemnification.
The significance of the statement was made apparent by the language of the note sent to the British Embassy which was published this morning. The relevant portion of the note to the British Embassy is as follows:
“The Japanese Government …83 add that they will, upon the completion of investigations, deal appropriately with those responsible for the incidents and also that they are prepared to make the necessary indemnification for the losses sustained by the British.”
- Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931–1941, vol. i, p. 524.↩
- Director of the American Bureau of the Japanese Foreign Office.↩
- Omission indicated in the original telegram.↩