793.94/14661: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 1—6:40 a.m.]
63. The following reply is reported to have been made yesterday by the Minister for Foreign Affairs at a meeting of the Budget Committee of the Lower House answering a question put by a member with regard to the holding in Tokyo of an international conference to discuss the situation in China:
“The holding in Tokyo of an international conference similar to those which at one time after the great war so frequently occurred will require very careful thought. The question definitely arises whether just solutions to problems can be found by delegates of a number of countries with varying degrees of interests in the problems under discussion meeting in conference. That is, I think, made clear by the examples set by the conference held after the European war. So far as Japan is concerned, we believe that more fruitful results can be obtained by carrying on conversations individually with the other countries concerned than by attending an international conference. My personal feeling is, therefore, one of considerable doubt whether a conference held in Tokyo for the purpose of clarifying the situation in the Far East would achieve that purpose”.
Cipher text by air mail to Peiping for repetition to Chungking.