793.003/890: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan ( Grew ) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 10—3 a.m.]
15. Department’s 384, December 30, 3 p.m.,13 Japanese military jurisdiction over American nationals in China. I brought up this [Page 229] matter informally and as on my own initiative with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, this morning when discussing other matters. Hirota said that the Japanese military in Shanghai had been obliged to issue these regulations to protect themselves from the acts of irresponsible foreigners in Shanghai but he said that the Japanese military authorities perfectly understood the status of extraterritorial foreigners and he thought that there was not the slightest intention of applying these regulations to Americans. He did not seem disposed to give me specific assurances on this point but took the position that we would have no cause for complaint. I pointed out informally that any attempt on the part of any Japanese agencies to [assert at?] Shanghai jurisdiction over American nationals in China could not be recognized or countenanced by the United States Government.
Repeated to Shanghai.