File No. 895.52/12.
The American Ambassador to the Secretary of State.
Tokyo, August 2, 1912.
Sir: Referring to my despatch No. 86 of June 14, 1912, in regard to the rights of American citizens claiming title to land in Chosen (Korea), I have the honor to enclose herewith a copy of a note (No. 1) received this day from the Japanese Foreign Office in reply to my note No. 54 of June 14.
I have [etc.]
The Minister for Foreign Affairs to the American Ambassador.
Tokyo, August 1st, 1912.
Mr. Ambassador: In acknowledging the receipt of Your Excellency’s note No. 54 dated the 14th ult., in which you deem it necessary to call my attention to certain provisions of the circular “Matters to be paid attention to by foreign land-owners” which was issued by the Land Investigation Bureau of the Government-General of Chosen, I have the honor to state that having at once communicated the above to the Government-General, I am now in receipt of a reply therefrom to the following effect:
With a view to make known the necessary formalities in
connection with the land investigation in Seoul to all
foreigners owning land there, the Temporary Land
Investigation Bureau detailed in the beginning of June last
some of its members to foreign Consulates in Seoul with the
request that the two circulars “Matters to be paid attention
to by foreign land-owners” hereto appended might be
distributed to the landowners interested; and the expression
“It is better for them, etc.” cited in Your Excellency’s
note under acknowledgment is merely an English rendering of
the Japanese
The purport circulars was to show that either
formal reports relating to land tenure or copies of Consular
registrations would be sufficient; but as blank forms hereto
appended (marked C) for writing reports on had been prepared
by the said Bureau, it would be more convenient both for
presenters of reports and the authorities concerned to fill
up the same according to Form B.; and the circulars were not
intended to affect in any way the validity of Consular
registrations.
In communicating the above to your excellency, I avail myself on this occasion to renew to you, Monsieur l’Ambassadeur, the assurances of my highest and most distinguished consideration.