711.94/1599
Oral Statement by the American Ambassador in Japan ( Grew ) to the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs ( Arita )
I have transmitted to my Government a report of my conversation with Your Excellency on June 10 and have been authorized to say that my Government is giving careful study to it and that it has been impressed by the serious interest which you have displayed in the general subject matter which was under discussion. I have also transmitted to my Government a copy of the text of your strictly confidential statement made to me orally on June 12, which is also being studied by my Government.72
My Government is of the opinion that before the specific details of any feasible program can be developed with profit, bases therefor should be established by considering carefully the underlying policies and principles which flow from the point of view of each Government, as well as the objectives and hopes of each Government. Superficially it might seem that by laying emphasis upon principles of an abstract nature we are losing from sight the practical aspects. It is our feeling, nevertheless, that if we can first define and take into consideration general objectives and principles, the tendency of this will be to make easier progress in the future looking to a development of measures of a specific nature. For this reason we believe that it might be best for the present to defer specific comment regarding the contents of your statement, and that it would be helpful at this time for my Government to restate broadly its general position.
As has been declared before, the hope of my Government has been and continues to be that the unfortunate results of the European war may be reduced to a minimum, not only vis-à-vis the American continent but also as regards Asia, by means of an intensive endeavor on the part of the Governments and peoples of both areas to make secure and to foster their national interests along peaceful lines and by peaceful means, as well as by greater application of those principles and policies which have as their purpose and call for a lowering or the abolition of excessive and artificial obstacles to the movement of trade. We believe it of importance in giving shape to a future trend to look further than considerations of minor and transitory advantage [Page 84] and to keep our attention fixed upon long-range and broad policies based upon the interest which is common to all forward-looking nations. According to our belief, certain fundamentals would unavoidably result from that sort of an approach, some of which are the following:
- A.
- A supreme need exists for order, peace, and stability. Our strong conviction is that the worsening of the general situation occasioned by the present armed conflicts and those which are spreading can be halted only by means of an enlightened and tenacious resistance to such deterioration on the part of those peoples which hope and have the intention that principles of national sovereignty, of justice, and of law and order shall endure; and that principles providing for economic freedom shall be effective. Provided that Governments and peoples perceive the essential nature of these principles, and provided that Governments and peoples desire and are determined to give them effect, situations of a specific nature in various regions, at variance with those principles, should, it goes without saying, be duly rectified and brought into proper adjustment therewith.
- B.
- Also of importance is the matter of what economic principles and methods of procedure may be deemed best calculated to cause conditions of general order and safety to prevail and endure. My Government is committed to a commercial policy which has as its fundamental basis the principle of non-discriminatory treatment, and we hold that restrictions upon the exchange of commodities in international trade should be removed or lowered. Forward-looking nations might adopt a policy wherein each country would forego endeavoring to obtain for itself or its nationals trade rights, commerce or economic exploitation of third countries of a preferential type, as well as from employing such influence as it might possess vis-à-vis a third country to effect the adoption by that country of measures which might act to withdraw from other countries equality of commercial opportunity or which might preclude the satisfaction of legitimate needs of an economic nature.
In order to make progress, it goes without saying, each country concerned must be penetrated with the proper spirit, not excepting a readiness to make sacrifices for the purpose of attaining broad and permanent objectives, and there must accordingly exist, in so far as each country is concerned, the requisite willingness and intention to render possible a realization of basic principles.
Every nation without exception is beyond doubt entirely justified in taking all legitimate and reasonable safeguards to enhance and conserve its own security and safety. The fact of taking measures of this sort nevertheless cannot reasonably be made a ground to interfere in other countries or to set up therein systems of special privilege and preferences of an economic nature. My Government has an interest in the commerce and economic development of Far Eastern countries just as has Japan. My Government, accordingly—just as Japan—would not view favorably the infiltration into or the growth in those [Page 85] countries of subversive influences. A general adaptation of the above set forth line of thinking and viewpoint would, we believe, make unnecessary interference in the internal affairs of other nations by any nation, as well as acts by any country in the territory of another looking to the establishment therein of monopolies and other types of special rights. As developments took place conformably to the principles indicated, we might anticipate a multiplication of means of cooperation along many avenues in the general direction of the economic development of countries in need of and requesting such development. The policies and point of view of my Government are so well known and have become so firmly established in the traditional thought and ideals of our people that the intentions and purposes of my country are not difficult to evaluate correctly, nor is the course of action which my Government is likely to pursue under any given set of circumstances. That attitude and the policies mentioned are grounded upon fundamental principles and we are of the belief that a general adherence to those principles which are of universal application would redound to the best interests of my country, of Japan, and of other nations.