793.94/9165: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 4—8:45 a.m.]
363. Hidaka, Counselor of the Japanese Embassy, stated to Peck38 in a general conversation this afternoon that the principal object in closing Chungking and Ichang Japanese Consulates and in evacuating a portion of the Japanese population along the Yangtze is to avoid possible instances of maltreatment of Japanese subjects which might enlarge the scope of the hostilities in North China. Japanese women and children in Nanking will all have left in 2 or 3 days. He reiterated earlier statements that the Japanese reenforcements in [Page 319] North China have not come to conquer that area and that Japan has no plan to subjugate China. He had explained to his Chinese friends that while Japanese popular feeling is at present incensed against China this animosity will probably be alleviated by the lesson administered in the North and amicable feeling will return. He said no discussions whatever are in progress between the Japanese Embassy and the Chinese Government. The Japanese Ambassador expected to fly from Tientsin to Dairen today and take a steamer to Shanghai. It is still uncertain whether he will come to Nanking.
Hidaka volunteered to inform the American Embassy if he received advance intimation of any event likely to affect welfare of American residents here.
Sent to the Department, Peiping. By mail to Shanghai.
- Willys R. Peck, Counselor of Embassy in China.↩