701.0090/1593½

The Spanish Embassy to the Department of State

Memorandum
No. 97
Ex. 108.03

The Spanish Embassy in charge of Japanese Interests in the United States presents its compliments to the Department of State and with reference to memorandum No. 46 Ex. 108.03 of February 26th17 referring to the Japanese enemy aliens to be repatriated on the next exchange vessel, has the honor to transcribe hereto the telegram received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Madrid, which reads as follows:

  • “1. Japanese Government received on 13th February United States Government’s memorandum dated 2nd [4th] February18 concerning [Page 873] exchange of residents and replied on 22nd February19 that it would be impossible to effect exchange on 1st April owing to shortage of time. Upon further study of said memorandum Japanese Government wish to make following observations.
  • 2. Prompted by humanitarian motive and desirous of exchange as many residents as possible, Japanese Government proposed further exchange but negotiation was delayed chiefly owing, as was pointed out before, to fact that list of Japanese residents to be repatriated compiled by United States Government and forwarded under date of 3rd November was unsatisfactory to Japanese Government. Japanese Government, however, are glad to note from above-said memorandum that United States Government are ready to comply with Japanese requirements in this respect.
  • 3. In these circumstances Japanese Government are desirous of effecting the second exchange at earliest possible date and it is considered expedient to try come to speedy agreement through adjustment of above-mentioned lists leaving to future negotiations question of enlarging scope of exchange and other new proposals embodied in United States memorandum.
  • 4. It is therefore proposed that number of persons to be exchanged shall be as been expected in former negotiations, one thousand five hundred from each side. That place of exchange shall, in consideration of various circumstances, be exchanged from Lourenço Marques to port in territory of Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in East Asia, such as Petropavlovsk in Kamchatka or Vladivostok, and that exchange ships be Soviet ships between American and Sovietic ports and Japanese ships between Japanese and Soviet ports. Should these alterations be not agreeable to United States Government, Japanese Government suggest as an alternative that place of exchange shall be Marmagão in Portuguese Goa which is port proposed by Japan to Great Britain, and that exchange ships shall be left to choice of each side. Japanese Government and United States Government shall approach Soviet or Portuguese Government for the necessary cooperation and facilities according as which of these two plans United States Government agree to adopt as regard time of exchange. Japanese Government are prepared to effect exchange directly Japanese requirements regarding list of Japanese subjects to be repatriated are complied with, and an arrangement is made with Government of the country of port of exchange. In the meanwhile it may be pointed out that Japanese Government have suggested latter part of June as time for exchange between Japan and Great Britain.
  • 5. In connection with above-said list, owing to recent severance of Diplomatic Relations between Japan and Chile, it has been made necessary to exchange diplomatic and Consular Officials and other residents between two countries and taking this aspect into consideration Japanese Government’s requirements concerning the lists are indicated in an annex20 to this memorandum. Japanese Government [Page 874] hope that United States Government will, as has been intimated by their memorandum, comply with Japanese requirements.
  • 6. Japanese Government wish that United States Government will reply to above at their earliest convenience.”

  1. Not found in Department files.
  2. See telegram No. 291, February 4, to the Minister in Switzerland, p. 868.
  3. This may be reference to note of February 23 from the Japanese Foreign Office to the Swiss Legation in Japan, summarized by the American Minister in Switzerland in telegram No. 1711, March 15, which advised of an early reply to the American Government and stated that it was “impossible for practical reasons maintain date April 1st proposed exchange Lourenco Marques”. (701.0090/1533)
  4. Not printed.