793.94/2970: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Forbes) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 1—9:50 a.m.]
246. My 241, November 29, 6 p.m. As to my last interview with Baron Shidehara, I am not able to think of anything further of importance to add, except to remark that his tone was much calmer than the first time and he explained in detail the causes of existing embarrassment which he did not intimate in the earlier interview. He still is being criticized quite sharply by the military and is undergoing attacks by the press. He informed me that an Army representative [Page 604] had called upon him and had expressed to him the fear that the Chinese would be so encouraged by the announced Japanese agreement not to occupy Chinchow that any hope of an accord would be upset. Speaking of the Foreign Office spokesman’s critical statement as given out, Shidehara said this was contrary to his way of handling public questions, for he endeavored to make all of his utterances conciliatory in tone. The night of November 28, after the Associated Press messages were published, I issued to the Japanese public a statement as follows:28
“In the absence of exact information the Embassy is unable to make any statement on the alleged interview with the Secretary of State. It is hoped that the situation will be viewed calmly by the public until the receipt of official reports, which it is hoped will clear up any misunderstanding.”
My statement was printed on the front pages of the Japanese newspapers and had a good effect. After I had shown the substance of your 24829 to Shidehara the following day, he inquired whether I could not make to the press a further statement, which I did as follows:30
“The American Embassy has received advices from the State Department in Washington that the interview purporting to have come from Secretary Stimson is utterly at variance with his attitude. The Secretary of State has never held or expressed in public or private an attitude towards the Japanese Government such as that indicated in the press report but on the contrary has used his influence to restrain any expression by the American press which in his words ‘might be embarrassing to a solution of the Manchurian controversy’. He has publicly denied that the words as quoted were his.[”]
It is agreed by the newspapers here, despite some further repercussions, that the episode is ended unless it should cause the nullifying of the accord which it is hoped is now in process of adjustment.
- Quotation not paraphrased.↩
- Of November 28, 2 p.m., Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931–1941, vol. i, p. 54.↩
- Quotation not paraphrased.↩