711.94/2624
Memorandum by the Ambassador in Japan (Grew)
I called on the Foreign Minister this afternoon at his request. After reading from a document in Japanese which was then translated into English, he made substantially the following oral statement:
- 1.
- The suggestion that the President meet with Prince Konoye was contained by implication in the message received by the President from the Prime Minister.
- 2.
- The Japanese Government had intended that at the proposed meeting there should be discussed the questions at issue between the two countries requiring agreement, and that subsequently through normal diplomatic channels the details for executing the understanding reached at the meeting should be worked out. The Government of the United States, however, had adopted the view that the problems which had emerged from the preliminary and informal conversations should be agreed on in advance of the meeting.
- 3.
- The Foreign Minister had explained that in his statement made to me on September 4 he had replied to all of the questions raised by the Government of the United States and that his statement of September 4 had widened rather than reduced the subject matter of the negotiations which the Japanese Government is willing to undertake.
- 4.
- The Foreign Minister then gave me the basic terms of peace which Japan is prepared to offer China to be communicated to the Secretary of State.13 The Minister emphasized that these terms should not be regarded as a new proposal but as in relation and supplementary to his statement to me of September 4 when he confirmed that the Japanese Government still desired to seek the good offices of the President in bringing the conflict with China to an end.
- 5.
- Admiral Toyoda told me that there had been great changes in the internal situation here since a month ago due to the publicity which had been given abroad to the suggested meeting between the President and the Japanese Prime Minister and due to the published reports and references on radio broadcasts abroad in regard to the conversations in progress between Japan and the United States. As a result of the efforts of the Japanese Government, public opinion in Japan and the Japanese press in the main are not aware of the developments referred to above, but the publicity abroad is known to certain groups in Japan and has had the effect of increasing the activities of those elements in Japan who are opposed to an understanding with the United States.
- 6.
- The Government of Japan will attempt to guard against any incidents or special occurrences in connection with the anniversary on September 27 of Japan’s adherence to the Axis and will allow its anniversary to be celebrated by private organizations. However, should a considerable lapse of time occur following the anniversary without any sign as to the attitude of the United States, the groups referred to above who are against an understanding with the United States and who are informed of the Japanese-American conversations might find it possible to so enflame public opinion in Japan as to render very difficult the continuation of these talks.
- 7.
- Admiral Toyoda pointed out that the Japanese Government is still awaiting the American answer to the various points set forth by him in his statement of September 4 and expressed to me his belief that in that statement the Japanese Government had with complete frankness revealed to the American Government its intentions and desires. (End of Minister’s statement.)
In reply to the Minister’s question whether any further information had been received from Washington, I conveyed to him the substance of the Department’s 603, September 20, 4 p.m.,14 which had been decoded immediately prior to my call on the Minister. Admiral Toyoda was especially struck by the Secretary’s remark to the Japanese Ambassador that the Government of the United States fully shared the desire of the Japanese Government to hasten matters. The Minister expressed the thought that although the desire of the United States Government to confer with other Governments in regard to the suggested agreement was clearly recognized, the element of delay which would be involved in such consultations might have a most unfortunate effect.
With reference to the lack of concern felt by the Japanese Ambassador in Washington regarding the anniversary on September 27 of Japan’s adherence to the Axis, Admiral Toyoda expressed the view that Admiral Nomura was not close enough in touch with the situation in Japan to be cognizant of the dangers in this respect. I told the Minister that I was surprised that he had not conveyed to the Japanese Ambassador in Washington his own concern on this point.
With reference to the terms of peace between Japan and China, I told the Minister that I wished to avoid any comment until the Government of the United States had had a chance to examine these terms but that for purposes of clarification I would like to know the exact meaning of the words “existing agreements and usages” mentioned in point three. The Minister in reply stated that these words must be understood as written; however, he referred in this connection to the presence in China of American marines merely by way of an illustration of the phrase in question.
[Page 633]I promised the Minister that I would communicate to the Secretary immediately his statement given above and also the terms of peace between Japan and China which he had handed to me. But I added that in view of the communications which had been exchanged between the Governments of Japan and the United States I could not be optimistic that a decision on these important matters could be reached before the 27th of September.