CO129-575-3 Japanese affairs 2-1-1939 - 21-12-1939 — Page 188

(Copy of Memorandum handed by the American Counselor, Mr. Dooman, to the Director, American Bureau, the Foreign Office, Mr. Yoshizawa).

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According to information furnished by the American

Embassy at Peiping and the American Consulate General at

Tientsin the Japanese military authorities have placed

certain irksome and seemingly unwarranted restrictions

upon American personal and business interests in Tientsin.

The nature and extent of American interests in

Tientsin at present are: (1) An American investment of

more than 12,000,000 local currency, including land,

buildings, machinery and equipment, stocks of merchandise

and loans and mortgages; (2) the business turnover of

American firms in Tientsin during 1933 is roughly

estimated at $200,000,000 local currency, about half of

which is business conducted by the two American banks;

(3) trade with the United States handled by non-American

firms is conservatively estimated at $50,000,000 local

currency during 1938; (4) American interests in Tientsin

include: two banks, two petroleum companies, two dye

houses; four motor dealers; two woollen mills, more than

20 fur exporters and several import-export firms, real

estate companies and other enterprises.

The restrictions imposed have an unfavourable effect

upon those interests in that they have a tendency to

stifle the legitimate activities of American trade and

other interests in lientsin.

Tokyo, February 6, 1939.