711.9412Anti-War/139

Memorandum by the Secretary of State of a Conversation With the Japanese Ambassador (Debuchi)

The Ambassador called to see me, by special appointment at his own request and under instructions from his Government, to bring the announcement of the ratification of the Kellogg-Briand Pact by the Emperor of Japan and handed to me a letter, dated June 27, 1929, signed by himself on that point;19 also a copy of the declaration of the Imperial Government of Japan as to the phraseology “in the names of their respective peoples”.20 This last memorandum was in both Japanese and in English. He said that in his opinion this did not amount to a reservation. I told him that I hoped that that would be the interpretation of everybody, but I added that I had not yet studied it sufficiently to be confident of my own opinion. We exchanged congratulatory words. He told me, also, that there were two short messages as to this declaration which he had left with Mr. Castle which were being published in Japan.

  1. Not printed.
  2. See telegram No. 64, June 19, 1929, 7 p.m., from the Chargé in Japan, p. 248.