761.9315 Manchuria/6: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 9—3:35 a.m.]
146. Department’s 100, July 3, 6 p.m.,30 Soviet-Japanese relations.
The following facts and opinions have been brought out in recent conversations with the Soviet Ambassador and Counsellor separately.
- 1.
- The Soviet Government will not sell North Saghalien to Japan but will retain it for various economic strategic and patriotic reasons.
- 2.
- The Soviet Government will not agree to the creation of a demilitarized zone on the Soviet side of the Soviet-”Manchukuo” border as to do so would be tantamount to relinquishing a part of its sovereignty over its territory and because it is not necessary, the Soviet fortifications being only defensive in character.
- 3.
- The Soviet Government however might consider a measure of disarmament in the Far East provided that the Japanese will take into consideration the fact that the Far Eastern Red army is operating 10,000 kilometers from its center of supplies and might therefore agree to a stronger Soviet than Japanese force on the Asiatic mainland.
- 4.
- The recent numerous border incidents were due largely to overzealous young officers desirous of recognition. Further the Japanese Army just now is endeavoring to justify its budget demands.
- 5.
- The proposed border commission must not be tripartite as that would give two Japanese votes to one Soviet vote, but must provide equal representation for the Soviets. The commission will only adjudicate border incidents and will not delimit the frontier, the Soviet Government holding that the frontier was definitely and permanently delimited by the Sino-Russian treaty of 1860.31 This delimitation included the islands in the Amur River, regarding the ownership of which there can therefore be no legitimate dispute.
- 6.
- The Japanese demands in regard to fisheries are not unreasonable and can probably be settled in time by diplomatic negotiation.
- 7.
- There are no questions pending between the Soviet Union and Japan at present which need give cause for alarm, but the danger always exists that a border incident may flare into a conflagration which no one could stop.
End of résumé of information given us by Soviet Embassy.
I am of the opinion that Japan is not at present in a position to finance the purchase of North Saghalien, even were the Soviets willing to sell. Moreover, it would appear that the Japanese Army is at present preoccupied with its North China and other problems and is not likely to press a demand for a demilitarized zone along the Soviet-“Manchukuo” border.