793.94 Conference/163: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
Tokyo, November 2, 1937—2
p.m.
[Received November 2—6:50 a.m.]
[Received November 2—6:50 a.m.]
509. Following telegram is intended to supplement our 508, November 1, 7 p.m.88
It now appears certain that an imperial general headquarters will be set up in the near future, probably by November 10.
- 2.
- There is on the statute books “ordinance number 293 concerning imperial general headquarters during time of war”, which was promulgated during the Russo-Japanese war. This ordinance provides for the establishment of headquarters for the exercise by the Emperor of his constitutional function as Commander in Chief of the Army and of the Navy. The ordinance further provides for the assignment to headquarters of the chief of the general staff and chief of the naval staff, along with other military and naval officers, to coordinate plans of military and naval operators.
- 3.
- A number of problems are involved in carrying out this project, the entire scope of which has not been as yet revealed.
- 4.
- It is reported that the existing ordinance will be so revised as to assign to general headquarters the Prime Minister, the Ministers of War and of the Navy, and probably the Minister for Foreign Affairs. This would raise in turn the question of a reorganization of the Cabinet from a functional point of view as well as from the viewpoint of personnel. Apparently the plan now favored contemplates placing government departments under administrative heads not of Cabinet rank, leaving the Cabinet free to consider questions of policy.
- 5.
- Another question which, we understand, has been considered is whether war should be declared to bring about a de jure state of war in order to make the ordinance applicable, or whether the ordinance should be so revised as to make it applicable under existing conditions. It now seems very likely that the second course will be followed. This paragraph should be read in the light of paragraph 3 (b) of our telegram above cited.
- 6.
- In the present state of obscurity surrounding the forthcoming changes, we can make no intelligent estimate of the extent and permanency of these radical changes. We can speak with certainty on one point: Japan is being placed on as complete a war basis as possible. Whether the effective military power of the country is being mobilized in preparation for, or as a preparation against, war with Soviet Russia, we cannot now say nor can we accurately estimate whether there are impending basic changes in the economic and social orders [Page 653] of the country. However, enough is known of the plans to raise these two questions.
Grew