701.9411/1547a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Switzerland (Huddle)
290. A note was addressed on December 13 to the Swiss Minister at Washington10 as follows:
“Sir: I have the honor to request you, acting in your capacity as representative at Washington of the government provisionally protecting American interests in the Japanese Empire and in the territories occupied by Japanese forces, to be kind enough to transmit to the former Japanese Ambassador at Washington11 the information contained herein concerning the treatment by this Government of Japanese diplomatic and consular officers now within our jurisdiction. This information is also being communicated to the American Legation at Bern with instructions that the Legation request your Government to transmit the information to the Japanese Foreign Office.
This Government will continue to accord to the personnel of the former Japanese Embassy correct and liberal treatment in accordance with international law and the pertinent precedents. Every effort will be made to furnish them and the members of their families with adequate protection and to assure their comfort as long as they remain within the jurisdiction of the United States. Furthermore, they will be accorded every reasonable facility for liquidating their personal affairs. Specifically, those who customarily resided in the Embassy and the unmarried members of the staff will be permitted to remain undisturbed in the Embassy; married members of the staff having residences in Washington will be permitted to remain in those residences with their families and to visit the Embassy daily; unmarried members of the staff having residences outside the Embassy will be permitted to visit their residences for the purpose of packing their personal effects; a member of the Embassy staff will be permitted to circulate within the city for the purpose of making any desired purchases for the comfort and convenience of the Embassy staff; the Embassy itself, and all members of the staff and their families, will at all times be afforded adequate police protection but no police officer will be stationed within the Embassy; the representative at Washington of the power protecting Japanese interests in the United States will have free access to the Embassy; the Embassy will be provided with telephone connection with the representative of the aforesaid power and with the Department of State; the Embassy will be permitted to communicate freely with the Japanese Foreign Office through the intermediary of the protecting power.
Similar arrangements have been made for the protection and welfare of the former Japanese consuls, the members of their staffs, and their families in the several cities in which they were formerly stationed.
This Government is requesting the Swiss Government to propose to the Japanese Government a plan for the repatriation of the Japanese diplomatic and consular personnel in this country and the members of their families, and to exercise its good offices to the end that [Page 379] a mutually satisfactory arrangement may be made as rapidly as possible. The proposal of this Government is that the Japanese diplomatic and consular personnel and their families will proceed on an appropriate passenger vessel provided by this Government to Lourenço Marques; that a similar vessel provided by the Japanese Government proceed simultaneously to Lourenço Marques, with the American diplomatic and consular personnel and the members of their families, from Japan and Japanese occupied territories; that the vessels exchange passengers and baggage at Lourenço Marques and return to their respective countries; and that all expenses of the Japanese mentioned above, for travel and subsistence from their former posts of duty in the United States to Lourenço Marques, will be borne by the United States Government.
It is assumed, of course, in connection with all of the above that the Japanese Government will agree to accord similar treatment on a reciprocal basis to American nationals possessed of official status within the Japanese Empire and in Japanese-occupied territories while such American nationals remain there and in all that appertains to facilitating their departure and transit homeward.”
Please request the Swiss Government to transmit to the Japanese Government the text of this note.