Office of the Historian

762.9411/270: Telegram

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

Tokyo, June 19, 1941—10 a.m.
[Received 3:20 p.m.]

852. Rumors persist in Tokyo that a division of opinion on matters of high policy exists within the Cabinet. While Japan is publicly committed to the tripartite alliance a strong resistance to totalitarianism, especially of the Nazi type, has recently become apparent. This fact together with considerations in the field of international relations such as trends in American policy and possible future moves of Germany in respect to Soviet Russia may be responsible for the “standstill” atmosphere which now prevails in Tokyo.

It may be of value to point out certain indications of this conflict of opinion within Japan, one notable reflection of which is the exceedingly mild nature of the reply to the Government of the Netherlands Indies.94

1.
During discussions by delegates to the meeting of the Council of the Imperial Rule Assistance Association, it was divulged that a pamphlet containing the text of Matsuoka’s address delivered at Hibiya Hall on April 26 was suppressed. Matsuoka on that occasion vehemently defended the German totalitarian system, stated that Japan’s economic structure was greatly inferior to that of Germany and criticized Japanese business and Government leaders for incompetence and a lack of sense of responsibility. Probably for these reasons and because the tone of the speech was “Hitleresque” in the extreme, circulation of the 200,000 copies of the pamphlet, printed from the complete text supplied by Matsuoka, was prohibited by the Home Ministry.
2.
Yanagawa, the Minister of Justice, is understood to have caused the arrest during the past few months of 440 minor Government officials whose expressed totalitarian ideas have made them subject to accusation under the provision of the thought control law specifying penalties for persons advocating the overthrow of the capitalist system. The recent imprisonment of the Director of the Agriculture [Page 977] Policy Bureau of the Agriculture Ministry for appropriating funds for Matsuoka propaganda, is now reported to have been the direct cause of the resignation on June 11 of Ishiguro, the Minister of Agriculture.
3.
The press of June 17 announced that a new Bureau for Thought Control would be set up within the Cabinet and that one of its principal objectives would be the suppression of dangerous thoughts held by Government officials.
4.
The speeches by delegates to the Council of the Imperial Rule Assistance Association have been extremely enlightening in indicating dissatisfaction with Japan’s policy and opposition to the trend toward Nazi Fascism. Speakers have admitted the existence of important pro-British and pro-American elements in Japan and at least one has urged that Japan should not imitate the Nazi system.
5.
The above indications as well as the occasional expression of editorial criticism of German policy (such as that quoted in Embassy’s 644, May 6, 6 p.m.95) strongly suggest the lack of unity in the nation. They also imply that the direction of Japan’s diplomatic policy has not been finally determined and that a sudden change is not impossible.
Grew
  1. See telegram No. 835, June 18, 3 p.m., from the Ambassador in Japan, Vol. v, p. 179.↩
  2. Not printed.↩