711.94/2625
Memorandum by the Ambassador in Japan (Grew)
I received a visit today from the same reliable Japanese informant who called on me on October 25. He informed me that he had seen the Foreign Minister yesterday with a view to ascertaining the prospects of a resumption of the conversations between Japan and the United States. The Foreign Minister had told him that during [Page 701] the past few days he had been constantly in conference day and night with the Prime Minister and the Minister of the Navy, and that as a result the Government had reached a definite decision as to how far it was prepared to go in implementing the desires of the Emperor for an adjustment of relations with the United States. This decision, which was being held in strictest secrecy, had been communicated by the Prime Minister to the Emperor on the afternoon of November 2. The Foreign Minister had conveyed to my informant the impression that he expected to ask me to call for an extended conversation within a few days.
According to my informant this was the first time for many years that a Japanese Foreign Minister had been in a position to assume obligations with the entire support and approval of the Prime Minister, who was an Army officer on the active list and who held as well the portfolios of the War and Home ministries, and also the support of the Navy Minister. My informant was of the opinion that the Foreign Minister would ask me to call not later than November 7 since the question of relations with the United States would have to be clarified before the Diet meets on November 15 at which time a report would have to be delivered. The forthcoming meeting of the Diet, according to my informant, would be carefully organized by the Government and no loose or irresponsible talk would be permitted.
I thanked my informant for his information and repeated to him what I had told the Foreign Minister, namely, that the actual conversations were to be carried on in Washington and only paralleled in Tokyo.