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