762.94/517: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 9—9 p.m.]
722. For the President, the Secretary and the Under Secretary. My 709, April 8, 8 p.m. The following personal letter from Matsuoka marked strictly private has just been delivered to me. In view of his imminent departure I should appreciate immediate instructions as to the response I should make to his request for a paraphrase of my report to you of our conversation.
“My [dear] Steinhardt: Really I do not know how to thank you and Mrs. Steinhardt for the most pleasant luncheon given me yesterday.
May I ask you to be good enough to favor me with a paraphrased extract of your cablegram to the Washington Government, namely, of course, the parts setting forth my remarks in our conversation so that I may be sure that I correctly stated what I meant.
Would it not be well at this time also to inform your President and the Secretary of State that a report printed in the London Times of April 4 alleging to be a portion of my conversation with His Holiness the Pope at Rome has not a shred of truth. The report was to the effect that there took place an exchange of views between myself and the Pope on questions of peace during which I am supposed to have told the Pope that although Japan was faithful to the Tripartite Pact she was prepared to cooperate in preventing the extension of hostilities to Yugoslavia and the United States of America. It was also reported that I regretted the fact that the Pope was supporting the Chiang Kai Shek regime which was receiving assistances from the Soviet and that Japan was in a position to expect support from the Vatican because she was prosecuting an anti-Communist war.
I believe that the President might just as well be further informed that I would assure him of utmost efforts on my part to redress wrongs [Page 935] there might be found in China with regard to the legitimate American interests as soon as the war is ended together with my guarantee as to the free flow of commerce between the United States and the South Seas including of course such commodities as rubber, tin, and oil which America is in need of.
I may add in this connection frankly that Japan will not in future condone capitalistic exploitation in China or elsewhere where Japan can exercise considerable restraining influence. As the President and Mr. Hull must be aware, Japan’s conception of a new order in greater East Asia is as I publicly stated on more than one occasion “no conquest, no oppression, no exploitation” and I straight [stand?] on this policy. I need hardly say that there are still a great many people in my country as in all other countries who are bent upon exploiting backward nations financially and economically, but I am committed with Prince Konoye to battle against it. Our group in Japan will fight against such an attempt, the more if it were made by Japan.
With very best wishes to you and your charming wife, Sincerely yours, Y. Matsuoka.”