793.94/10265: Telegram
The Minister in Switzerland (Harrison) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 25—2:26 p.m.]
8. The body of the reply by the Japanese Government dated today at Tokyo to the Advisory Committee’s invitation reads:
“The maintenance of peace in eastern Asia by harmonius co-operation between Japan and China is the aim which the Imperial Government has always had before it and to which it has devoted every effort. The Chinese Government has, however, made opposition to Japan and anti-Japanese agitation the bases of its national policy; acts of provocation have continued to be committed throughout its territory, thus bringing about the present unhappy affair. The Japanese Government can therefore only express the hope that the Chinese Government, realizing this state of affairs, will soon change its sentiments.
As regards the settlement of the present affair, the Imperial Government, as it has stated on many occasions, is firmly convinced that a just, equitable and practical solution of the questions concerning Japan and China can be found by the two countries.
Consequently, the Japanese Government, seeing no reason to depart from the line of conduct it has hitherto followed with regard to the political activities of the League of Nations, regrets that it is unable to accept the Advisory Committee’s invitation.”