Joseph Clark Grew was an American career diplomat and Foreign Service officer. He is best known as the ambassador to Japan from 1932 to 1941 and as a high official in the State Department in Washington from 1944 to 1945. He opposed American hardliners, sought to avoid war, and helped to ensure the soft Japanese surrender in 1945 that enabled a peaceful American occupation of Japan after the war.
After numerous minor diplomatic appointments, Grew was the Ambassador to Denmark and Ambassador to Switzerland. In 1924, Grew became the Under Secretary of State and oversaw the establishment of the US Foreign Service. Grew then became Ambassador to Turkey. As Ambassador to Japan, he opposed American hardliners and recommended negotiation with Tokyo to avoid war until the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. He was interned until American and Japanese diplomats were formally exchanged in 1942.
On return to Washington, DC, he became the second official in the State Department as Under Secretary and sometimes served as acting Secretary of State.