762.94/295: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 7—9:32 a.m.]
120. Our 104, February 21, 8 p.m.5 Reference Japanese-German-Italian conversations. The Minister for Foreign Affairs is reported to have made the following statement yesterday at a meeting of the Budget Committee of the Lower House:
“The present pivot of Japanese foreign policy today is the relations arising out of the Japanese-German-Italian anti-Comintern Pact [Page 164] which was established to combat the destructive designs of the Comintern. The present conflict with China derives from many causes but the most important of these is the activity in China of the Comintern, a fact which is generally admitted. Accordingly, to bring about an adjustment of the China incident and to establish firmly the new order in China, resistance to the destructive activities of the Comintern is for Japan an extremely important matter. The anti-Comintern Pact was made the pivot of present Japanese policy for this purpose. However, the firm establishment of the new order in East Asia and making secure Japan’s general international position is not being left only to the anti-Comintern Pact. In another direction, such as relations with Great Britain and the United States, there is need for bringing about on the part of those countries an understanding of Japan’s position and attitude. In Great Britain, the United States, and in various other countries, there is a tendency to look upon present relations between Japan, Germany, and Italy as an association of totalitarian states opposed to the democracies. As pointed out on various occasions by the Prime Minister as well as by myself, that is an absolutely erroneous observation. The reasons for the establishment between Japan and Germany and Italy of relations opposed to communism are merely those which I have already described. I think, therefore, that it is clear these relations contain no implication of opposition to Great Britain, the United States, and other democracies. I have briefly and only in the most general terms outlined Japan’s foreign policy. I have also been asked to explain conditions in various other countries but I doubt the wisdom of complying with the request in this place. Perhaps an opportunity will present itself in the near future for me to make a further statement with regard to these matters.”
Cipher text by mail to Shanghai, Chungking and Peiping.
- Not printed.↩