File No. 774/60.

Ambassador Wright to the Secretary of State.

No. 205.]

Sir: Referring to my dispatch No. 195 of the 19th instant,a I have to inform you that I have received to-day a communication [Page 155] from the imperial foreign office in reply to the inquiry contained in your dispatch No. 65 of January 31 last (file No. 774), as to whether the Japanese Government would be willing to join in a conference on the opium question, or whether, if another course were deemed more convenient and practicable, it would be prepared to name a commissioner who, in concert with like commissioners of the other powers named, would investigate the subject. This reply states that “the Japanese Government would have no objection to either course, if taken, of convening the international conference or of naming the commissioner, when each of the governments above mentioned “(i. e., of France, Germany, and The Netherlands) “will have consented thereto.”

While inclosing a copy of the English translation which was inclosed with this communication of the foreign office,

I have, etc.,

Luke E. Wright.
[Inclosure.—Translation.]

The Minister for Foreign Affairs to Ambassador Wright.

No. 18.]

Mr. Ambassador: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your excellency’s note under date of the 8th instant, stating to the effect that the inquiries made by the United States Government toward the end of last year about the views of the Imperial Government and of the British Government, relative to the limitation and suppression of the opium traffic, having elicited favorable replies from these Governments as to the investigation on the subject, your excellency’s Government have made further injuiries of the Governments of France, Germany, and the Netherlands as to whether they would join in an international conference on the question or whether, if another course were deemed more covenient and practical, each of the Governments would be prepared to name a commissioner who would undertake to investigate the subject. Your excellency now makes a similar inquiry as to the views of the Imperial Government on the question.

In reply, I beg leave to state that the Japanese Government would have no objection to either course being taken of convening the international conference or of naming the commissioner, when each of the Governments above mentioned will have consented thereto.

I avail, etc.,

Viscount Hayashi.
  1. Not printed.