793.94/3875: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan ( Forbes ) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 2—10:55 a.m.]
34. Department’s 34, February 1, 3 p.m. The British Ambassador and I met the Foreign Minister at 6 o’clock. The French Ambassador’s message did not arrive in time to be decoded for simultaneous presentation but he arrived with it before the interview was over. Mr. Yoshizawa’s attitude and words were wholly conciliatory. He began by asking us to express his appreciation to our Governments for their prompt and effective consideration of his request for our good offices in the effort to secure the withdrawal of Chinese forces. After reading the two notes carefully, comparing them line by line, he began by saying he could see no reason for the inclusion of the fifth point with the others. He said it was wholly unrelated; the British Ambassador explained the relationship and we made it clear to him that it carried with it a concession by China, as the Chinese had always insisted on evacuation as a condition precedent to carrying on negotiations. The Foreign Minister said, however, that his predecessor and he had always stood definitely against the inclusion of neutral observers and that he knew his present Cabinet felt the same and would not assent to it. He said he was favorably disposed to all of the first four points and would take the matter up with the Minister of the Navy, indicating that he would recommend favorable consideration, and asked if the acceptance of these four points would be satisfactory to our Governments. I pointed out to him that China was also concerned and as these identic propositions were being simultaneously made to Nanking we could not answer how acceptable the acceptance of a portion would be; but we all agreed and recognized that these first four points if agreed upon immediately would end the tense situation in Shanghai, which is the matter of most immediate import now. We all agreed to advise our Governments in this sense. (By the time we had reached this point the French had arrived and all three agreed.) He promised to take the matter up immediately and let us know immediately—probably tomorrow morning.
He advised me that he had sent a full explanation of the shelling at Nanking to Mr. Debuchi. He would not say that additional land troops were being sent but stated they were considering it. The situation is tense here, and there is a good deal of nervousness among [Page 176] the American residents; additional police have been put about the British and our Embassies to guard against possible demonstrations.
Today the Chief of the General Staff of the Navy has resigned and Prince Fushimi has been nominated in his place; this making parallel organization to the recent change in the military establishment.
I heard confidentially that Admiral Nomura had been selected, because of his cooperative character, to be sent to Shanghai where he will direct operations.