793.00/133: Telegram
The Chargé in Japan (Neville) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 11—7:40 a.m.]
151. The Minister for Foreign Affairs today in conversation stated that so far as the Extraterritorial Commission was concerned, he found himself in substantial agreement with the American point of view and had told the British so. In regard to the actual text of the reply to the Chinese note on this point the Japanese Government would have some comments to make as they do not agree entirely with the statement contained in the instructions to MacMurray (Draft 92)22 but they are not differences of principle.
So far as concerns tariff, the Japanese Government would find itself unable to go beyond the terms of existing treaties or the Washington Conference engagements. All the considerations urged in this connection had been brought up at Washington and he did not see that conditions in China warranted any further concessions. Dissension [Discussion?] on this point was objectionable for at least two good reasons:
- (1)
- China has no government machinery capable of enacting tariff legislation and a conference that proposed to consider the whole question of tariff would have to consider methods of levying tariffs which would make the conference too complicated and might result in its break-down;
- (2)
- Japan and perhaps other powers, who have large vested interests in China, might find themselves in difficult circumstances if they placed the unfettered right to levy duties in the hands of irresponsible politicians. Japanese opinion would not countenance such action.
In addition to these considerations Japan was confronted with interests of great weight and importance resting on treaty and contractual bases which she would have to take account of. It would be extremely difficult for Japan to reexamine the bases upon which treaty obligations rest. He did not see, therefore, how agreement among the powers would be possible unless all are prepared to cooperate on the only common ground we now have—the Washington Conference. Peking informed.