793.94/3529: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Forbes) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 16—6:45 a.m.]
13. The Foreign Minister, Yoshizawa, received me at 11 o’clock this morning and handed me a reply written in Japanese and English, which is being cabled today.95 He advised me it would be given out to the newspapers here today. After I had read it he asked me if I had any comment to make. I told him that the semblance of war which was being fairly sedulously maintained here with constant newspaper references to “battle area”, exhibition of captured trophies, and also the fact that throughout Manchuria they talked of it as “war” without qualification, seemed inconsistent with their assertion that it was not a hostile occupation. This he explained by saying the hostility was not toward the Chinese people or Government but against the lawless elements whose suppression was necessary for an orderly community.
Today’s paper announces here that China is proposing to sever diplomatic relations with Japan. And I asked if there were any truth in this; to which he replied that they had no official information.
I told him the papers announced officially the Japanese were planning the establishment of an independent Manchurian government in February. I asked him if there were any truth in this; to which he said that while he was in Manchuria he was advised that the Chinese Governors of the Provinces of Kirin, Heilungkiang and Jehol were said to be in favor of the establishment of such a government, and he understood conversations were being held looking to such a development at the present time. I am sure he also meant to include Mukden Province. He said this was on Chinese initiative.
I asked if it were not unquestionably true that these men were placed in power by the Japanese military authorities and selected from men who would not be unfriendly towards Japan. His reply was vague, but he emphasized the fact that all Chinese former high civil officials but one had deserted their posts or resigned. He said these Chinese Governors now planning an independent Manchuria government were actuated by the desire of self-protection both of life and property. I asked if in that case the Japanese would be prepared to support the pretentions of such a government by force. His reply was vague, but he said that Marshal Chang Hsueh-liang [Page 79] had spent 80 percent of his revenues in maintaining armed forces and the Japanese proposed to urge upon the new Chinese Manchurian government a substantial reduction of the proportion of money spent for military establishments.
I asked the same question I had asked of Inukai in regard to the plans for the employment of former Chinese soldiers; he assured us that this was their plan.
He laid great stress upon the open door so often when I commented on its not being open now, he said that was merely during the period of suppressing banditry. I told him it took us six years to suppress banditry in the Philippines, where we exercised sovereignty, and intimated that the door might be closed for quite a while. But he emphasized the desirability of attracting American capital and business cooperation to Manchuria.
- Supra.↩