Papers relating to the foreign relations of the United States, Japan, 1931–1941, Volume I

711.94/970a

The Japanese Ambassador (Saito) to the Secretary of State⁴

undated

These are entirely my private thoughts:

(1) There are too much suspicion and fear between the United States and Japan at present and some governmental action to dispel such feelings on both sides is very desirable.

(2) The impending naval disarmament problem can most happily be approached after some such measure is taken.

(3) American suspicions as to Japan’s motives are essentially these: That Japan has aggressive designs on the Asiatic Continent and that Japan may even be courting war with the United States—which are not true.

(4) Japanese suspicions as to American motives are essentially these: That the United States constantly tries to obstruct Japan from working out her national aim, which is nothing but the establishment of peace and order in the Far East; that the United States has been giving undue encouragements to China to take a defiant attitude against Japan—which are not true.

(5) Japan and the United States should repose full confidence in the sincerity of the peaceful motives of each other.

(6) Trade relations between the two countries are fortunately complementary, highly beneficial to both and should be promoted.

(7) Upon these premises, cannot a joint declaration be now made by the United States and Japanese Governments?—in some such sense:—

(a) Both Governments will cooperate with each other to promote trade to the mutual advantage of the two countries and to make secure the principle of equal opportunity of commerce in the Pacific Regions.

(b) Both Governments, having no aggressive designs whatever, reaffirm the pledges each to respect the territorial possessions and the rights and interests of the other, and restate their determination that the two countries should ever maintain a relationship of peace and amity.

(c) Both Governments mutually recognize that the United States in the eastern Pacific regions and Japan in the western Pacific regions are principal stabilizing factors and both Governments will exercise their best and constant efforts so far as lies within their proper and legitimate power to establish a reign of law and order in the regions geographically adjacent to their respective countries.

(8) If such a joint declaration can now be made, all war talk will immediately be silenced, the psychology of men will undergo a change and whatever question may arise between our two countries will become capable of an easy solution. China will begin to see that she can no longer rely upon her time-honored policy of setting one Power against another. Not only so, but peace of the Pacific Regions will thereby be lastingly established—a signal contribution to world peace.

4. Handed to the Secretary of State by the Japanese Ambassador on May 16, 1934.