THE FAR EASTERN CRISIS



  The Department is confident that you will keep it informed of
developments. In so doing, however, Embassy should avoid any
action or gesture implying official solicitude.
                                                          PHILLIrS

741.9411/212: Telegram
    The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State

                                   ToKyo, August 23, 1934-6 p. m.
                                   [Received August 23-6: 48 a. m.]
  188. Department's 145, August 22, 7 p. m. 1. Kato, who covers
the Foreign Office for Rengo, told Fleisher today that when he
and other Japanese newspaper correspondents asked Hirota con-
cerning the rumors of a renewal of the Anglo-Japanese alliance
Hirota said that in 1902 when the alliance was formed76 he had
advocated the inclusion of the United States and that his views
in this respect had not changed. He added that in case the United
States should be prevented by its traditional policy from now joining
such an alliance no such alliance should be formed against the United
States because the Minister felt that Anglo-American-Japanese friend-
ship and cooperation were essential to the peace of the world and
he wished to take no step which would alienate American friend-
ship. The Minister apparently sent a direct reply to the ques-
tions of the correspondents regarding present Anglo-Japanese nego-
tiations. No foreigners were present at the interview.
  2. From reliable evidence I am convinced that the British Embassy
in Tokyo knows nothing whatever concerning any current Anglo-
Japanese negotiations or agreement.77
  Repeated to Peiping by mail.
                                                             GREW

761.94/780
     The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
No. 935                                    TOKYO, August 23, 1934.
                                           [Received September 8.]
  SIR: Since the drafting of my despatch No. 916 of August 3 7
Soviet-Japanese relations have again become tense as the result of
events relating to the Chinese Eastern Railway.

   Foreign Relations, 1902, p. 514.
 The Counselor of Embassy in Great Britain, in a letter dated August 22,
 stated: "Although the Foreign Office had informed the press it was
all nonsense,
 I thought it was worth while to make a pro forma inquiry of the Far Eastern
 Department today, and was told that the only matter under discussion between
 the Japanese Embassy and the Tokyo Foreign Office now was the Manchukuo
 oil question . . ." and that the rumored accord "was without the
faintest horizon
 of foundation." (741.9411/214)
 N8 printed.
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