394.1115/133
Memorandum of Conversation, by Mr. Frank A. Schuler of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs50
Mr. Takagi called this afternoon at his request. He began by saying that the Foreign Office was making every effort to facilitate the departure of Americans from Japan. As an indication of the efforts being made in this direction he presented the attached oral statement.51 He added that the Foreign Office had prevailed upon other agencies of the Japanese Government to relax materially the enforcement of regulations governing the departure of Americans from Japan. Mr. Takagi stressed the word “Americans”. He said that the Embassy here had cabled the Foreign Office about complaints in the American press of mistreatment of Americans departing from Japan. The Embassy had now been informed that the Foreign Office wished to correct the impression that difficulties were being placed in the path of Americans who desired to leave on the three ships requisitioned by the Japanese Government, the explanation being proffered that any delay in the departure of Americans was due simply to the speed with which arrangements were made for the three vessels.
Mr. Schuler commented that it was gratifying to learn that efforts were being made to relax these restrictions; that as Mr. Takagi undoubtedly knew the corresponding American regulations were neither as onerous nor were they applied as strictly. Mr. Takagi interrupted to say that the Embassy was fully aware that the American regulations were less cumbersome and less strictly applied, adding that the Japanese Embassy here felt assured that the treatment of Japanese leaving the United States on the three ships would be fair without any action on the part of the State Department and that in fact no action was desired.
Mr. Takagi said that the Embassy was interested, however, in obtaining urgent and favorable action upon its request for special treatment for some sixty Japanese whose re-entry permits had expired and who desired to sail on the remaining one of the three ships being sent to the United States. Mr. Schuler told Mr. Takagi that the question was receiving the active consideration of high officers in the Department and that every effort would be made to expedite a reply.