761.94/1283: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 27—7:55 a.m.]
321. An official of the Japanese Foreign Office, formerly stationed in the Japanese Embassy in Moscow, in private conversation with a member of my staff expressed the opinion that barring a sudden change in the attitude of the Soviet Government there was very little probability of the conclusion of a Soviet-Japanese nonaggression pact in the near future. He said that following the deadlock reached last December as a result of the impossibly high price asked by the Soviet Government, the political negotiations by mutual consent had been shelved pending the solution of certain outstanding questions between the two countries. At the present time, aside from routine discussions concerning the North Saghalien coal and oil concessions and the work of the commission for the demarcation of the Mongolian-Manchurian border, the only active negotiations in progress between the Japanese and Soviet Governments were those taking place in Moscow relating to a permanent fisheries convention and the conclusion of a commercial agreement. The official added as his personal opinion, based on his experience in Moscow, that Soviet policy in regard to Japan at the present time was primarily motivated by a desire to promote a Japanese-American war from which the Soviet Union would be the sole beneficiary and that, therefore, the possibility could not be excluded that the Soviet Union was deliberately delaying the conclusion of a political agreement with Japan until such a time as would best serve that purpose.
With reference to the current rumors of an impending visit of the Japanese Foreign Minister to Europe, the official stated that in view of the present status of Soviet-Japanese relations, should such a visit take place it would not have as its immediate purpose the conclusion of a pact of nonaggression with the Soviet Union but would probably be merely a visit of courtesy and consultation to Germany and Italy.
[Page 915]Sent to the Department. Repeated to Moscow. Moscow please repeat to Berlin.