500.A4b/547½
Memorandum by the Secretary of State of a Conversation with Baron Kato, of the Japanese Delegation, January 16, 1922
Baron Kato called, accompanied by Mr. Ichihashi, his interpreter.
Baron Kato said that he desired the interview to be regarded as purely informal and not official. He had received instructions from his Government and his Government would not agree to the British proposal with regard to the fortifications in the Pacific. Baron Kato said he found that the matter had been transferred from a simple question of fortifications into one of domestic political importance in Japan. The original public statement had been published in Japan and it seems that the British proposal had in some way become public there, so that the Japanese Government was faced with the difficulty that something different from that which was originally understood, was intended. Baron Kato said that Parliament was to meet on the 21st of January and that likely this subject would be the first for discussion, and that it presented a very great difficulty for his Government because some of the most [Page 246] important members of the Privy Council were absolutely opposed to the British proposal. Baron Kato said that his visit was merely for the purpose of saying that he was sending to Japan his own views and his opinion of the instructions which he had received, and in the meantime he wished to ask a personal favor and that was that the Secretary would allow the matter to remain open without calling a meeting of the Naval Committee to consider it. Baron Kato hoped that in this way something might be accomplished and he was doing his best with his Government.
The Secretary said that so far as the fortifications were concerned, there could be no doubt as to the spirit and purpose of the agreement; that Japan had indicated that an increase of fortification in certain places, if made by the United States, however pacific their intent might be, would be regarded as constituting a menace to Japan; that the same thing of course would exist if Japan increased her fortification in her islands at strategic points, which would constitute a menace to the possessions of the United States; that what applied to one applied equally to the other; that when reference was made to Japan proper there was no question at all that it meant the main islands of Japan which were excluded just as Australia and New Zealand were excluded, and the region of the coast of the United States and Hawaii. The Secretary understood that the British proposal merely defined the zone more definitely. The Secretary felt that the real agreement was perfectly understood and that it should be defined in a way such as to leave no ambiguity. Baron Kato reiterated the point that the question really had passed beyond that of fortifications to a domestic political question in Japan and that he needed a little time to endeavor to work it out.
The Secretary said he would be very glad to arrange to postpone for the present the meeting of the Naval Committee.