THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT
103
FAR EASTERN (JAPAN).
June 15, 1939.
CONFIDENTIAL..
SECTION 2.
Copy
Not C1
Sir R. Craigie to Viscount Halifax.-(Received June 15.)
[F 5837/874/23]
(No. 377.)
HIS Majesty's representative at Tokyo presents his compliments to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and, with reference to Tokyo despatch No. 285 of the 19th April, 1939, has the honour to transmit a copy of Political Diary No. 4 for the month of April 1939.
Tokyo, April 18, 1939.
Enclosure.
Political Diary No. 4 of 1939, April 1 to 30.
(This Diary is a brief and informal review of current topics. Although it is largely based on extracts from the Japanese press and is not in the nature of a considered report, the Diary should be treated as confidential and should not be publicly quoted or reproduced.)
FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
United Kingdom: Visit of His Majesty's Ambassador to Shanghai.
118. His Majesty's Ambassador left Tokyo on the 1st April, accompanied by Lady Craigie and the air attaché, to pay a short visit to Shanghai. During three busy days there, the 5th to the 8th April, Sir Robert Craigie had the oppor- tunity of meeting His Majesty's Ambassador in China and also leading members of the British community and Japanese diplomatic, naval and military authorities. 119. Sir Robert Craigie discussed his visit to Shanghai with the Minister for Foreign Affairs on the 22nd April. After the interview, an agreed statement was issued to the effect that, while expressing gratification that the personal relations between the British and Japanese authorities appeared to have improved during the past year, His Majesty's Ambassador voiced his great concern that no improvement had yet been made in the treatment of British rights and interests in China. The statement added that Mr. Arita had expressed the Japanese point
of view on the matter.
Policy of His Majesty's Government.
120. Considerable concern was aroused in Japan by an affirmative answer by Mr. Chamberlain in the House of Commons to a question whether His Majesty's Government would bear in mind the desirability of including China and other Far Eastern countries in any combination of Governments for the purpose of resisting aggression.
121. The introduction of conscription in the United Kingdom was generally regarded by the Japanese press as significant, but some care was taken to insist that numerous difficulties stood in the way of its being effectively enforced or applied to the international situation.
122. On the 5th April the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs stated in the House of Commons that His Majesty's Government were doing their best to protect British interests in China.
British Empire-Australia.
A report from Australia dated the 13th April stated that Hie Majesty's Government in the Commonwealth of Australia were intending to set up legations in Washington and Tokyo.
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