Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1943, The British Commonwealth, Eastern Europe, the Far East, Volume III

711.94114 Sick/3: Telegram

The Minister in Switzerland (Harrison) to the Secretary of State

Bern, April 27, 1943.
[Received April 27—9:33 a.m.]

2576. American interests Japan. Repatriation POW’s.¹⁴ Department’s 2750, December 5, 1942.¹⁵ Legation Tokyo telegraphs “Have pressed Japanese Foreign Office for reply American proposal. Reply just received that Japanese Government cannot presently give favorable response.”¹⁶

Harrison

14. Prisoners of war.
15. Not printed; it requested a report on developments in connection with telegram No. 1812, July 21, to the Minister in Switzerland, which had proposed to the Japanese Government a mutual repatriation of seriously sick and wounded prisoners of war (514.2A12/381).
16. In telegram No. 2857, May 9, the Minister in Switzerland reported the views of the Swiss Minister in Japan that the principal difficulty prompting the Japanese Government to turn down the proposal of the United States was the question of transport “as Japanese consider cannot allocate snip for this exchange.” (711.94114 Sick/4) At a meeting of representatives of the War Department and the Special Division on October 11, 1943, to develop “facts regarding exchange of military personnel”, it was stated that the matter was not pressed in order not to jeopardize the second exchange and that further efforts were to be commenced after its completion (701.0090/10–1143).