Cablegram 734 WASHINGTON, 11 September 1941, 3.33 p.m.
SECRET
British Embassy, Netherlands Legation, Chinese Embassy and ourselves are finding great difficulty in getting any real information from the State Department as to progress of United States-Japanese talk[s].
These talks are apparently proceeding in Washington and in Tokyo but we are told that they have not made much progress.
British Charge d’Affaires [1] saw the Secretary of State [2] on September 8th. Conversation elicited that Konoye [3] was still showing noticeable keenness to reach an arrangement with the United States but the Secretary of State said that the United States administration was standing firm on previously stated principles and that Japan would have to show genuine change of heart and give proof of it. Rumours coming from Tokyo of early successful outcome of conversations were untrue. We would be told if and when conversations reach a point justifying consultation with us.
CASEY
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1 Sir Ronald I. Campbell.
2 Cordell Hull.
3 Japanese Prime Minister.
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[AA: A981, JAPAN 185B, ii]