793.94 Conference/13: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan (Grew)
261. Your 470, October 13, 5 p.m. We are considerably perturbed at the indications given by the Japanese Vice Minister both to Bassompierre and Craigie that the Japanese Government was disinterested in the proposed conference of the parties to the Nine Power Treaty and could not see the purpose of holding such a meeting. I should be glad to have you call on the Minister for Foreign Affairs96 and indicate orally that this Government is proceeding on the assumption that the Japanese Government will attend, believing as we do, that the proposed conference will offer a useful opportunity for a reasoned and frank discussion of the difficulties, both present and underlying, of the situation with a view to seeking to arrive at a constructive solution by process of peaceful agreement.
If the time element is raised in conversation you should make it clear that in the opinion of this Government the meeting should be held in the immediate future.
The British Ambassador, we understand, is being instructed to make a somewhat similar démarche. You should await, before acting, information of his having received such instruction.
- Koki Hirota.↩