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  4. Document 145

711.008 North Pacific/283: Telegram

The Ambassador in Japan ( Grew ) to the Secretary of State

Tokyo , February 9, 1938—8 p.m.
[Received February 9—10:25 a.m.]

92. Department’s 45, February 7, 6 p.m., Alaska salmon fisheries.

1.
On February 5, we pressed Yoshizawa for an early and favorable reply to our representations of January 25 and 26. Yoshizawa said that press reports of intemperate statements made in the United States during the hearings on the Dimond Bill have aroused much feeling in Japanese official circles; that the Ministry of Agriculture which has previously been cooperative is becoming intransigeant; and that the possibility is being considered of the Japanese Government issuing a statement to the press to the effect that the Japanese Government has taken a most conciliatory attitude.
2.
Today Yoshizawa called Dooman to the Foreign Office and said that he was now in a position to give an official reply to our representations.
3.
With regard to sub-paragraphs (a) and (b) of paragraph 3 of our 54, January 26, 6 p.m., he said that the Japanese Government would grant no licenses for salmon fishing and would discontinue its fishery survey but that it would not agree to the publication of any statement calculated to give the public the impression that the Japanese Government in giving such assurances had permanently renounced its rights under international law to fish anywhere on the high seas. Yoshizawa said that the assurances which have been given reflect a policy of the Japanese Government to avoid and to remove any cause for apprehension by the American people on the score of Japanese fishing operations in Bristol Bay but that it could not afford to prejudice its rights in principle. He said that he would shortly give us in writing a statement of his Government’s position on this point.
4.
With regard to sub-paragraph (c), he stated that the Japanese Government could not in any circumstances extend the right of friendly search. If, however, indisputable evidence is presented that the Japanese crab and fish meal vessels are fishing for salmon, the Japanese Government is prepared to consider the cancellation of the licenses issued to these vessels on the two grounds of making effective the assurances referred to in the preceding paragraph and as penalty for violation of the terms of the licenses.
5.
Yoshizawa confirmed his previous statement with regard to the question of the issuance of a public statement by the American Government. He repeated that the statement is to be referred to the Japanese Government prior to publication.
Grew