894.48B/47
The Japanese Embassy to the Department of State
instructions received by the japanese ambassador from count yamamoto, his majesty’s prime minister and foreign minister
You are instructed to see the President and the Secretary of State and to communicate to them the following message:
At a time when Japan was making her best endeavors to follow the letter and spirit of the Versailles Treaty and the Washington Treaties, which, we believe, have laid the foundation of World [Page 473] Peace and will greatly promote human welfare, the Empire was visited by a most appalling disaster, in which all the elements combined.
In this hour of deep grief and anxiety, felt alike by the Emperor and all his subjects, the President of the United States issued a Proclamation urging the American people to come to the aid of the stricken people of Japan and designating the American Red Cross to administer the relief work. Then the Commander of the American Asiatic Fleet lost no time in dispatching the ships under his command to the scene of the disaster and offered the services of the entire fleet for the immediate relief of the sufferers. Some of these vessels have already arrived in the harbor of Yokohama. At the same time the Philippine Government sent transports loaded with full cargoes for the relief.
In the midst of the bewildering devastation, the American Ambassador Woods, together with the staff of the Embassy and Americans resident in Japan, are helping the relief work with a marvelous spirit of self-sacrifice in spite of the fact that the Embassy itself was destroyed by fire.
The report of these spontaneous and prompt measures, taken by the President, the Government and the people of the United States, is creating a profound impression in the grateful hearts of suffering Japan.
With these facts in mind, I desire to express in the name of the Japanese Government their most heartfelt thanks to the American Government, and at the same time to convey to the President and people of the United States the deep sense of gratitude of my Sovereign and of the entire nation of Japan for this noble manifestation of a sincere and generous sympathy. I am happy in believing that this precious gift of American sympathy in the hour of greatest trial for the Japanese nation, cannot but serve the Peace of the World, in drawing still closer the bond of friendship and trust between the two countries.