711.94/1308: Telegram
The Chargé in Japan (Dooman) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 28—9:34 a.m.]
495. 1. The Minister for Foreign Affairs65 this afternoon received in turn the Chiefs of Mission. He greeted me very cordially as we are friends of long standing. He said that he looked forward eagerly to seeing Mr. Grew as soon as possible after the Ambassador’s arrival in order to explore ways and means of restoring good relations.
2. The Foreign Minister regretted that he had not the time today to discuss American-Japanese relations at length but he wished to emphasize one point—that he could be counted on to do his best to prevent the war in Europe from spreading to the Pacific Ocean. It was dangerous to be too complacent, as an example of the results of such complacency is the conflict with China, into which Japan was unexpectedly drawn. He firmly believed that the United States and Japan owed it to humanity as well as to themselves to maintain peace in the Pacific. I stressed briefly that the necessary first step toward restoring good relations must be suppression of Japanese actions in China injurious to American nationals and interests which arouse resentment in the United States.
Repeated to Shanghai. Shanghai please repeat to Chungking and Peiping.
- Admiral Kichisaburo Nomura.↩