File No. 763.72/434
The Ambassador in Japan (Guthrie) to the Secretary of State
Tokyo August 15, 1914 midnight.
[Received August 16, 6:55 a.m.]
[Telegram]
The following statement was handed me by the Minister for Foreign Affairs to-night:
Considering it highly important and necessary in the present situation to take measures to remove all causes of disturbance to the peace of the Far East and to safeguard the general interests contemplated by the agreement of alliance between Japan and Great Britain, in order to secure a firm and enduring peace in eastern Asia, establishment of which is the aim of the said agreement, the Imperial Japanese Government sincerely believe it their duty to give advice to the Imperial German Government to carry out the following two propositions:
- (1)
- To withdraw immediately from the Japanese and Chinese waters German men-of-war and armed vessels of all kinds and to disarm at once those which cannot be so withdrawn.
- (2)
- To deliver on a date not later than September 15, 1914, to the Imperial Japanese authorities without condition or compensation the entire leased territory of Kiaochow, with a view to eventual restoration of the same to China.
The Imperial Japanese Government announce at the same time that in the event of their not receiving by noon, August 23, 1914, the answer of the Imperial German Government signifying an unconditional acceptance of the above advice offered by the Imperial Japanese Government, they will be compelled to take such action as they may deem necessary to meet the situation.
At the same time, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, after expressing a strong desire to perpetuate the friendship between our two countries, requested me to impress on you as strongly as possible that in taking the present action Japan was not animated by any selfish purpose but was acting strictly in pursuance of the alliance with [Page 171] Great Britain and would not seek any territorial aggrandizement or selfish advantage in China and would carefully respect all neutral interests.
He expressed fear that there was strong possibility of internal disturbances in China, due chiefly to the failure of that Government to complete the loans under negotiation at the outbreak of the war in Europe. In case of such disturbances he said that Japan and England would cooperate to preserve order but intimated that they might need the assistance of America.
He thought that if China could raise money, the danger of disturbances would be reduced to a minimum, and seemed desirous to have this idea suggested to the United States as there was no other source from which it could be obtained.
The German Ambassador this evening informed me through his secretary that Germany could not concede Japan’s demands and that he and staff would probably leave for America en route to Germany by the first available steamer. Austrian Ambassador may accompany him, but this is not certain.
German Ambassador expects to turn over his archives to this Embassy. The Minister for Foreign Affairs made no objection to this and said Japan would ask America to render her the same service in Germany.
I have telegraphed to Legation at Peking text of Japan’s notice to Germany.