Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1941, The Far East, Volume IV

894.00/1019: Telegram

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

Tokyo, April 7, 1941—7 p.m.
[Received April 7—12:55 p.m.]

517. The Department’s 217, April 5, 2 p.m.

1. Since his return to Tokyo on February 7, Dooman has had two meetings with Fujii, the confidant of the personage under reference. With my approval Dooman asked Fujii to convey to his principal an oral statement substantially along the lines of the statement which Dooman made to the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs (please see Embassy’s 230, February 14, 8 p.m.). At the second meeting on March 13, Fujii communicated a message from his principal to the following effect: He (the principal) had been alarmed over reports predicting the taking by the United States in the immediate future of drastic action against Japan; he appreciated the receipt of our analysis of the situation; and he felt confident that restraints could be imposed sufficiently to prevent there arising a condition which would cause the United States to resort for reasons of national security to drastic measures against Japan.⁸⁰ The message concluded with an invitation to communicate to him through the same channel further information as occasion offered.

2. The Department will undoubtedly have noticed from press despatches and from Embassy’s telegrams that the political situation in this country is undergoing changes and that the personage under reference is coming increasingly to the front. I do not believe that he could afford to run the risks which an interview at this time, as suggested, would entail. Further comment is presented in the Embassy’s 518, April 7, 8 p.m., immediately following.

Grew

80. For the information of the Secretary of State, the Adviser on Political Relations (Hornbeck) on April 21 drafted a memorandum in which he invited attention to Mr. Fujii’s statement that “he felt confident that restraints could be imposed sufficiently to prevent there arising a condition which would cause the United States to resort for reasons of national security to drastic measures against Japan.” The memorandum was read by the Secretary on April 24.