124.93/89: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Great Britain (Kellogg)
293. Your 323, August 7, 5 p.m.2 and the Department’s 264, August 6, 5 p.m.3
The following telegram (No. 207 August 9, 4 p.m.) has been received from Tokyo:
“This morning I discussed informally with Baron Shidehara along lines indicated in the Department’s telegram 135 August 6, 1 p.m. the matter of the status of diplomatic mission at Peking and he told me that after full consideration the Japanese Government had decided that instead of making a communication to the Chinese Government as had been suggested to postpone making a definite reply to the Chinese proposal until the beginning of next year 1925; that in the meantime he would let his note to the Chinese Chargé dAffaires of July 25th stand (see my telegram 200 July 26, 11 [10] a.m.4); that if the Chinese brought up the matter again he will send reply that the matter was still under consideration; that during the month of December next he would probably propose to the powers [Page 476] involved a reconsideration of the question; that however for domestic reasons it is necessary for the Japanese Government to include in the budget estimate for the fiscal year beginning April 1st 1925 an item for an Embassy at Peking although this would not necessarily mean that the government had decided to change the status of the mission.
My opinion is that Baron Shidehara means during December next to suggest to the powers that the status of their diplomatic missions at Peking be raised to that of Embassies and that in case the powers decline the Japanese Government intends nevertheless next spring to raise the status of their mission.”
The telegram above quoted seems to indicate that the Japanese Government is unwilling to accept the proposal contained in your 302, August 1, 3 p.m. In view of the determination of the Japanese Government to postpone action on the matter until December, the Department doubts whether a formal note as suggested in your 323 August 7, 5 p.m. would be the means of causing the Japanese Government to reconsider its decision. It now seems apparent that the Japanese Government not only declines to accept the formula which was orally suggested by the British Ambassador at Tokyo and by the American Chargé d’Affaires, but it appears also to have definitely receded from its original suggestion that the Chinese Government be notified in the sense informally suggested by Baron Shidehara as reported in Tokyo’s telegram 192, July 22, 5 p.m., which was repeated to you in the Department’s 236 July 26, 1 p.m.5 It would seem to be useless to urge the Japanese Government to change its decision in this matter and the Department therefore desires to suggest to the British Government that it would seem to be both inexpedient and futile to despatch the formal note as suggested in your 323, August 7, 5 p.m.
If the British Government has in mind good reasons to the contrary the Department will be glad to consider the matter further. It desires, however, to stress the point that the action of the Japanese Government seems to close the matter for the time being at least. Tokyo’s 200 July 26, 11 [10] A.M. was repeated to you in Department’s 237 July 26, 2 p.m.6
You may bring the foregoing orally to the attention of the Foreign Office.
Repeat to Paris as Department’s No. 265.