793.94/16697: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 16—1 p.m.]
689. Embassy’s 663, May 10, 5 p.m. and 684, May 15, 9 a.m. [p.m.] The French Ambassador90 who called on the Foreign Minister on May 14 informs me in strict confidence that Mr. Matsuoka made the following statement in connection with the several interviews which have been given out recently by the Japanese Ambassador to China:
Mr. Matsuoka claimed that he had been largely instrumental in [Page 505] bringing about the flight of Wang Ching-wei from Chungking. He therefore felt that he had been under obligation to support in every way possible Wang’s efforts to establish and strengthen his régime in Nanking. However, in view of Wang’s attitude toward Japan he believed that Wang had now no further claim on Mr. Matsuoka for support. It was now his opinion that General Chiang Kai-shek was the only person in China with sufficient influence to carry out any arrangement which might be made with Japan toward terminating the present conflict. Although there were a large number of persons both Chinese and nationals of third countries in touch with the Japanese authorities as well as with the Chinese authorities in Chungking, none of these well meaning persons had been authorized to make any proposition on behalf of Japan. Nevertheless he was prepared at some opportune moment to entrust some one who enjoys the confidence of both sides to approach the Chinese with some proposal satisfactory to Japan.
Sent to Department; repeated to Shanghai. Shanghai please repeat to Chungking.
- Charles Arsène-Henry.↩