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Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs (Hornbeck) of a Conversation With the Counselor of the Japanese Embassy (Taketomi)
Reference Peiping’s telegram 312, April 7, 3 p.m.
Mr. Taketomi called on me yesterday afternoon and, stating that he had come under instruction from the Japanese Ambassador, referred to the conversation which I had had recently with the Ambassador on the subject of the Kautto incident, and said that the Ambassador now had an account of the matter from the Japanese Government which he wished to have Mr. Taketomi give me.
Mr. Taketomi then made to me a statement substantially in accord with the statement contained in the telegram from our Embassy at Tokyo, cited above (but omitting what appears in the first paragraph of the said telegram).
There followed some conversation, in the course of which I expressed to Mr. Taketomi the Department’s appreciation of the Embassy’s courtesy in giving us this account. Mr. Taketomi said that he assumed that the same account was being given to our officers at Tokyo and at Peiping. I said that I assumed the same and that we would doubtless in due course receive reports in that connection from those officers.
I then took occasion to express regret that the hostilities continue and remarked that it is to be hoped that at all times the combatants on both sides will take account of the fact that in ultimate analysis the jeopardy to which foreign lives and property are subjected arises out of the fact that the hostilities are engaged in; and I remarked further that it is to be hoped that both will so conduct the hostilities as to avoid as far as possible combat in neighborhoods where foreign persons and property are rightfully established. Mr. Taketomi said that he was sure that his people did not wish to imperil or interfere with the rights and activities of third parties.