894.032/152: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 6—8:20 a.m.]
95. 1. In his speech before the House of Peers this morning Premier Hirota said that in removing the causes of national unrest he would avoid extremes and would adhere to constitutional government under the Emperor. He avoided concrete expressions of policy but said that the Government would clarify the national policy; would perfect national defense while watching developments in China and Soviet Russia, would meet new expenditures by strengthening national [Page 768] finances and improving the taxation system; would take drastic steps if need be to overcome the barriers being erected against Japanese trade; and would if desirable abolish some governmental organs or merge them with others in order to effect administrative reforms.
2. The Foreign Office states that the speech of the Minister for Foreign Affairs was transmitted practically in toto to the Japanese Embassy in Washington where it will be available to the Department.
3. Contrary to expectations the Minister for War did not give a detailed account of the causes of the recent incident but stated that the causes would be made public at the proper time. He stated that the discipline of the army as a whole was not affected by the affair and that the trouble was caused by radicals working behind the scenes.