793.00/117: Telegram
The Chargé in Japan (Neville) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 4—9:11 a.m.]
142. Your 92, July 23, 3 p.m., received via Peking,15 July 27, communicated to Foreign Office.
In conversation the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs stated that he felt sure that the Japanese Government were not prepared to go beyond the terms of the Washington Conference for the present in any discussion with the Chinese Government. The ideas of tariff autonomy and revision of the treaties were capable of such broad interpretation and had been the subject of so much irresponsible comment that the Japanese Government did not see how a reference to them would serve any good purpose at the present time. Besides these questions had been deliberately excluded from the settlements made at Washington and the Japanese could not see any good reason for bringing them up again.
He then reiterated that the Japanese wished above all things to work in conjunction with the British and ourselves in meeting the present situation. The Washington Conference provided a basis upon which all agreed. What was necessary now was the carrying out of existing treaties and not the assumption of new obligations. Japan has always been ready to do her share towards making the Washington engagements a reality, and would be prepared to consider on their merits any germane proposals that might be made in the course of the Customs Conference or in the work of the Extraterritorial Commission. But Japan would not consider it wise [to] go beyond the terms of present engagements in replying to the Chinese note. He added that the Japanese Government hoped that this reply to the British note did not indicate an alteration in point of view from that set forth in our last communication to the Japanese (Department’s 88, July 14, 11 p.m.16).
I replied that while I was not at liberty to discuss the China situation I should of course inform my Government of the Japanese attitude as he had stated it.
Repeated to Peking.