PARTNER

OBJECT ID

ddr-njpa-1-472 (G160.003)

PARENT COLLECTION

Nippu Jiji Photograph Archive, "Gaijin" Collection

DESCRIPTION

Caption on front [translation]: "Ambassador Grew to Retire After 9 Years in Tokyo. Plans to Return to America in Early May. (Tokyo 21 Domei). According to today's Yomiuri Shimbun, US Ambassador to Japan Joseph Grew will likely return home on a leave of absence in early May. The same paper also stated that Ambassador Grew hopes to return to Tokyo after three or four months.

Grew fervently desires to improve US-Japan relations, which have been poor since the China Incident broke out in October of last year. He resolutely gave an advisory speech to the Japanese attendants at a banquet hosted by the America-Japan Society at the Imperial Hotel shortly after returning to Tokyo. He proposed to US government authorities at the same time that a provisional agreement be made to take the place of the now invalid US-Japan commerce treaty and held important talks with the foreign minister, General Kichisaburo Nomura, on improving US-Japan relations. Although he has worked hard, relations have unfortunately not significantly improved and he seems to have come to the conclusion that things have reached a level where an approach based on new ideas taking into account the development of the new situation in China is needed.

Ambassador Grew has returned to the US and met with government officials four times during his nine years as ambassador in Tokyo, in 1934, 1935, 1936, and 1939. Since Grew has already stated that Japan would likely be his last post as a diplomat, the Yomiuri said that it can be presumed that he will likely retire after returning to the US. The paper lastly concluded that the attitude of whoever will be made the next ambassador towards Japan will be watched. (Photograph is of Ambassador Grew). [Stamped] March 21, 1940."

CONTRIBUTOR

Hawai'i Times Photo Archives Foundation

PREFERRED CITATION

Courtesy of the Hawai'i Times Photo Archives Foundation

RIGHTS