740.0011 European War 1939/12686a: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan (Grew)
362. 1. A United Press report under Tokyo date line of June 29 appears in today’s American papers in regard to comments made by Prime Minister Konoe in an interview on the morning of June 29 in his private residence.8 According to the press account, the Prime Minister asked that Americans make a vigorous effort to understand Japan’s position, which he conceived to be that of a factor for peace, and stability in East Asia, and he insisted that Japan was not a partner to any German plan for world conquest. This statement is not attributed to the Prime Minister as a direct quotation. Some direct quotations attributed to the Prime Minister are that “Japan is very anxious to maintain friendly relations with the United States and we see no reason why our two countries cannot remain friendly”; that “let me emphasize again that we are very anxious to maintain friendship for the United States. We consider that the German-Japanese alliance is designed to keep the United States from involvement in the European war”; and that “the Tripartite Pact has one chief purpose—of a defensive nature. I do hope that the people of the United States will understand its spirit as we envisage it. Let me repeat, again and again, that I can see no reason why the Japanese and American people cannot remain friendly”. According to the press account, the Premier asserted that Japan’s recent political relations with Germany all have been motivated by a desire to keep the European war away from the Far East. The Premier is reported to have said that [Page 991] the “defensive nature” of the Three Power Pact could not be too greatly stressed.
2. Please inform the Department urgently whether this reported interview has been given publicity in the Japanese press.9
3. Please also give the Department urgently your appraisal of the significance, if any, of the interview.
4. Your 904, June 30, 8 p.m., has just been received. The press account appearing here contains no reference to the statements made in the first two sentences of your telegram under reference.