711.94/2288: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 15—4:10 p.m.]
1462. The anxiety of the extremist elements in Japan over the continued negotiations between the Konoye Government and the United States was vociferously expressed by Seigo Nakano, leader of the Tohokai, at the mass meeting sponsored by his party on Saturday. (Embassy’s 1453, September 13, 5 p.m.31) It is understood that the American press has given prominence to this meeting and has possibly overemphasized its significance. For example, an announcer of the San Francisco radio station KGEI referred to Nakano as a spokesman for the Japanese Government. The political strength of such extremist groups is at an ebb at the present moment; their potential danger nevertheless must not be overlooked. Furthermore such nationalist newspapers as the Kokumin and Hochi, as far as they dare, [Page 451] continue to attack the Konoye Government by the implication that it is congealing with Japan’s enemies Britain and the United States.
Of Japan’s seven daily newspapers only the Miyako, Chugai and Kokumin briefly summarized Nakano’s speech and his reference to the Japanese-American negotiations were entirely omitted. These remarks were the most significant, as a study of the complete text of the speech has revealed. Nakano stated that Britain and the United States believed that Japan’s national policy could be overthrown by means of pressure. He said that no one doubted the Konoye Cabinet continued to follow the fixed national policy sanctioned by Imperial rescript. However, conclusion of peace negotiations is impossible unless the Konoye Cabinet yields to the American Government. If conclusion of an agreement is impossible, then the days wasted in negotiations mean that Japan is losing her precious opportunity to advance southward, exactly the result desired by Britain and the United States.
Kokumin, commenting on Nakano’s meeting, states that the purpose of his speech was not to urge Roosevelt and Churchill to reflection but rather to rouse the Japanese nation. The editorial criticizes the government for an attitude of nervousness toward speculators and publications similar to those by Nakano.
Today’s Kokumin editorial elaborates upon Nakano’s theme, asserting that the Japanese people are worried about the indefinite course being taken by the present government and that the source of this worry is their feeling toward the Japanese-American negotiations and their dissatisfaction at being kept uninformed. Anxiety is founded on the doubt whether any settlement with the United States is possible without nullifying the significance of Japan’s holy war and without revising the policy of a new order in East Asia. The Japanese people justifiably fear that Japan’s two great policies may be comprised [compromised?] through negotiations with “hostile” Britain and the United States. The government is implored to observe the spirit of the imperial rescript32 granted at the time of the conclusion of the Tripartite Alliance and to maintain steadfastly Japan’s immutable policies.
It may be noteworthy the [that] Nakano made very few references to Germany and the Axis, in contrast to former speeches, and that the audience while it overflowed Hibiya Hall did not compare in size to the reported 20,000 who attempted to and [did gain?] admittance to his mass meeting of May 1, held at an amphitheater usually employed for svedan wrestling.
- Not printed.↩
- See telegram No. 911, September 27, 1940, midnight, from the Ambassador in Japan, Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931–1941, vol. ii, p. 168.↩