741.94/478: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 23—7:15 a.m.]
281. Following is the text of the memorandum20 in compliance with the Department’s 121, February 21, 1 p.m.21
“Confidential. His Imperial Japanese Majesty’s Minister for Foreign Affairs is rather surprised to learn of the undue concern on the part of His Britannic Majesty’s principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs which is no doubt based upon informations emanating from the British Embassy in Tokyo and other sources. There is, of course, no way to ascertain what kind of informations the British Government have been receiving, but the Minister for Foreign Affairs would like to avail himself of this opportunity to state that so far as he can see there is no ground for entertaining alarming views on the situation in East Asia.
On more than one occasion the Minister for Foreign Affairs explained to the British Ambassador in Tokyo and to the public at large that one of the primary purposes of the Tripartite Pact is to limit the sphere of the European war by preventing those powers not engaged in hostilities at present from joining the war and also to bring about its termination as quickly as possible. The Japanese Government have not so far found any reason or occasion to alter this avowed aim which constitutes a fundamental basis of their policy. The British Government may rest assured on this point.
[Page 85]However, the Minister for Foreign Affairs feels that he owes it to candor to say that he still is entertaining a certain amount of anxiety, if not misgivings, as to the movements of the British and American Governments in their attempt to expedite and enlarge warlike preparations with an eye to meeting supposed contingencies in the Pacific and the South Seas.
Press reports about these movements originating from American sources and elsewhere are causing increasing misgivings in Japan with the consequence that in some quarters it is contended that Japan should lose no time in taking measures to meet the worst eventuality in these regions.
The concern felt is rather natural in the face of these disturbing reports. If the American Government could only be persuaded to restrict their activities in this respect to the Western Hemisphere, prudently avoiding to cause anxiety unnecessarily in the minds of Japanese, the situation would indeed be very much mitigated. Having had the privilege of forming personal acquaintanceship at Geneva with His Britannic Majesty’s principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs and prompted by the belief that an exchange of frank views in a general way at this juncture will be of some service in enabling the two peoples to see eye to eye, the Minister for Foreign Affairs wishes to take the liberty of further observations. The uppermost thought in his mind has always been the world peace. He sincerely hopes that, on the one hand, the affair will be brought to an end as soon as possible, and on the other the European war will see an early termination. It is his earnest and constant prater that the powers may gather again to discuss at a round table their differences and deliberate on the great question of organizing a permanent peace upon a just and equitable world order. In this connection, he desires to assure his eminent colleague that far from aspiring to control the destinies of, and to dominate, other peoples, it is Japan’s established policy to inaugurate an era of peace and plenty and of mutual helpfulness throughout the region of Greater East Asia by promoting the spirit of concord and conciliation. As repeatedly affirmed, Japan’s motto is “no conquest, no oppression, no exploitation.” He therefore strongly deprecates those biased reports designed to calumniate Japan.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs frankly confesses his utter inability to see any good purposes served by prolonging the war, whatever the motive. Whatever the outcome, whoever the victor, there are present in the European, if not the world, situation elements of a grave danger to face a fearful spectacle of chaos and confusion possibly eventuating in the downfall of modern civilization. It takes statesmanship of a high order to foresee and meet in time this catastrophic contingency. The Minister for Foreign Affairs has not lost hope yet that such statesmanship will be not wanting in the British Empire.
Lastly, the Minister of Foreign Affairs would like to make it clear that Japan, deeply concerned as she is with an early restoration of peace, is fully prepared to act as a mediator or to take whatever action calculated to recover normal conditions, not only in greater East Asia, but anywhere the world over.
[Page 86]The Japanese Minister trusts that His Britannic Majesty’s principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs will not hesitate to share with him the conviction that upon the shoulders of the leading powers rests the great and grave responsibility of restoring peace and saving modern civilization from an impending collapse. Such responsibility can only be fulfilled by wise and courageous statesmanship willing to display an accommodating and generous spirit in listening to others’ claims and contentions. It is however necessary to add that whatever Japan may do, she will always be actuated by the consciousness of responsibility which she owes to humanity.”
Sent to the Department via Shanghai.