794.00/126½: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 15—7:58 a.m.]
634. 1. Yesterday afternoon Dooman30 was given a highly confidential message to me, on condition that it would not be made a matter of record, from an important personage whose identity I do not consider advisable to disclose in this telegram. The message was as follows:
The Emperor that morning sent the Grand Chamberlain to the Prime Minister to say that the Emperor is now prepared to “intervene” in the conduct of foreign relations and will hereafter be guided [Page 810] by the advice of the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister. The Emperor took this action before the President’s message to the Emperor through Saito31 was known in Tokyo.
Dooman barely had time to communicate the message to me when his informant telephoned last evening that the conversation be regarded as not having taken place. He again called on the informant to inquire into the circumstances of this request. Informant stated that the Prime Minister had become much alarmed over the possible consequences of the Emperor taking this unprecedented step and that he had directed the Foreign Minister and the War Minister to confer together to see whether it would not be possible for the Prime Minister to report to the Emperor that there is an identity of policy and views between the military and the civilian elements. Both Cabinet officers were of course present at the conference yesterday between Imperial Headquarters and the Government which lasted during the greater part of the day. We are endeavoring to follow up this matter.
2. I do not wish to exaggerate the significance of this move by the Emperor. Briefly I assume that he will not intervene to modify objectives of Japanese military action in China, but that we can look forward hereafter to methods being so changed as to reduce radically possibilities of grave issues arising with the United States and Great Britain. At the same time the full significance of the Emperor’s action will be appreciated only when it is realized that it is, so far as we know, unprecedented since the establishment of the present form of government in 1890. It may be recalled by some officers in the Department that, during the Manchurian affair, there was a well grounded report that the Emperor contemplated taking this action but was dissuaded by fear of consequences of the gravest character.
3. I cannot too strongly emphasize the importance of restricting the circulation of this telegram.
- Counselor of Embassy in Japan.↩
- See telegram No. 343, December 13, 9 p.m., to the Ambassador in Japan, vol. iv, p. 496, and memorandum by the Secretary of State, December 13, Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931–1941, vol. i, p. 522.↩