53825/11
{This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government, and should be returned
to the Foreign Office if not required for official use.]
From
JAPAN.
Decode.
Sir R. Craigie (Tokyo).
May 25th 1939.
Do
12.5 a.m.
May 26th 1939.
R. 6.26 0.m.
May 25th 1959.
No.478.
(R).
42
43
IMPORTANT.
1 Commander-in-Chief's telegram No.1905 - 24 to Naval Liaison
Officer, Shanghai.
Immediately on receipt I called on Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs and after communicating to him copy of Commander-in-Chief's protest stated that I wished to give it strong support.
This act
of Japanese navy could not possibly have been for flag verification or indeed for any curpose other than to create trouble with Great Britain. It was vulmination of a series of stoppages and seizures which were daily increasing in numbers and which lacked any possible justification. Such action by Japanese naval authorities must necessarily create further resentment in Great Britain and I felt justified in requesting with all emphasis at my command that Japanese Government should send urgent instructions to restrain
recent activities of Japanese navy.
I added that such acts had no sanction under international law and I felt therefore entitled to enquire whether we were now faced with a change of policy on the part of the Japanese Government and if so for an explanation of reasons of this. asked for a very early reply.
I
Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs promised to make enquiry,
but offered no further comment.
Addressed to Foreign Office, No. 478 of May 25th, repeated to Shanghai No. 380 Hongkong No. 100 and Commander-in-Chief No.99.
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