Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1942, General; the British Commonwealth; the Far East, Volume I

701.9411/1603: Telegram

The Chargé in Switzerland ( Huddle ) to the Secretary of State

Bern , January 20, 1942.
[Received January 20—4:39 p.m.]

203. American interests—Japan. Reference Department’s 405, December 26 and Legation’s 345 [45] January 5. Swiss Minister Tokyo¹⁵ telegraphed January 15 further statement of Japanese Government regarding exchange proposal as follows.

“Japanese Government communicates to me as it will communicate to Spanish Government its views on American proposal. Text as follows (English).

1. Concerning paragraph 1 of American proposal and paragraph 5 of American proposal:

(A) It is desire of Imperial Government make Lourenço Marques point exchange.

(B) Imperial Government agrees to United States proposals that vessel shall proceed unarmed travel without convoy under safe conduct of belligerent Governments.

(C) Imperial Government considers appropriate that scope of those to be exchanged be as indicated in annex, section 1, first paragraph of basic proposals of Imperial Government; namely those to be exchanged are Japanese subjects staying in United States and its territories and possessions and United States citizens staying in Japan, Manchukuo and occupied areas of China belonging to following categories: (a) Diplomatic, consular and other official personnel (including those appointed to third countries) together with their dependents and servants. (b) Staff members of diplomatic, consular and other official personnel (including those appointed to third countries) and employees of Embassies, Legations and Consulates (including those situated in third countries) and their dependents and servants. (c) Non-permanent residents; those belonging to this category are to be mainly prefectural and municipal officials; quasi-officials; those dispatched by public organizations; press correspondents; members and employees in United States of business firms and banks of Japan; and those in Japan, Manchukuo and occupied areas in China of firms and banks of United States, religionists; scholars; students; and research fellows dispatched by respective governments; and their dependents and servants, (d) Of permanent residents, women and children desiring to return home and persons who have special reasons. Those belonging to above four categories are to be included in the exchange without regard to number or to usefulness or otherwise in the prosecution of war. Again as regards those belonging to-above (a) and (b), the exceptions indicated in section 1, second paragraph of basic proposals of Imperial Government are to be allowed.

(D) While Imperial Government has no objection to including among those to be exchanged the personnel of United States Court in Shanghai it is unable to agree to include United States Marine Guards remaining in China as they constitute a military unit.

(E) While Imperial Government is unable to agree to inclusion of those United States officials in areas occupied by Imperial forces other than China it is agreeable to allow United States consular officials in Hongkong together with their staff members, dependents and servants to return home by vessel in question.

(F) Concerning transportation facilities for travel of those included in exchange and carriage of their personal and household effects to embarkation point Imperial Government is to provide said facilities at its own expense in respect to personnel belonging to categories (a) and (b) of the above paragraph (C) and are appointed to Japan together with their staff, dependents and servants, and the United States Government is to provide said facilities at its own expense in respect to personnel who belong to said categories and are appointed to United States together with their staff, dependents and servants.

(G) United States Government is to embark on vessel in question the Japanese subjects together with their personal and household effects included in exchange between Imperial Government and any of the other Governments in the Americas including Canada which have or may by the time of exchange have severed diplomatic relations with Japan; Imperial Government is to embark likewise on vessel in question the nationals of those countries in the Americas together with their effects included in above mentioned exchange. United States Government is to provide adequate transportation facilities for travel of above mentioned Japanese subjects and carriage of their effects to embarkation point. Imperial Government is likewise to provide adequate transportation facilities for travel of above mentioned nationals of American countries and carriage of their effects (these Japanese subjects and nationals of American countries are to bear their own expenses up to embarkation point).

(H) Diplomatic, consular and other official personnel of United States and other American countries staying in oriental countries which are associated with Japan in war against United States together with their dependents, employees and effects may be embarked on vessel in question. They may also be provided with transportation facilities for their travel and carriage of their effects to embarkation point. The similar personnel together with their dependents, employees and effects of above mentioned oriental countries staying in the Americas may likewise be embarked on vessel in question and may also be provided with transportation facilities for their travel and carriage of their effects to embarkation point.

2. Imperial Government agrees to paragraph 2 and paragraph 6 of proposals of United States Government.

3. Concerning paragraph 3 and paragraph 7, the persons of those to be exchanged are not to be subjected to search; those belonging to categories (a) and (b) of paragraph (C) of above 1 are to declare to authorities concerned contents of their effects and those belonging to categories (c) and (d) of above 1 may be subjected to examinations of their effects which are to be as considerate as possible.

4. Imperial Government agrees to paragraph 4 and paragraph 8 of United States proposals.

5. Concerning paragraph 9 Imperial Government agrees to afford similar facilities and privileges within possible limit.

6. Concerning paragraph 10 Imperial Government considers it appropriate to extend the scope of those to be exchanged to include category (c) of paragraph (C) of above section 1.

7. Concerning paragraph 11 of United States proposals as is mentioned in section 4 of basic proposal of Imperial Government it is desire of Imperial Government that exchange between Imperial Government and Governments of British Empire and other countries which are at war or have severed diplomatic relations with Japan should take place in same lot with that between Japan and United States. With that in view although Imperial Government has already so proposed to interested governments it is hoped that United States Government would proceed to confer with them to expedite exchange.

8. Concerning paragraph 12 Imperial Government considers that its view as contained section 2, paragraph 3 of its basic proposals coincide with those of United States Government.

9. Imperial Government agrees as regards paragraph 13 to paragraph 15 of United States Government proposals and as regards paragraph 16 Imperial Government entertains no objection to the [garbled groups] members of International Red Cross or members of other Red Cross societies. Vichy informed.”

Huddle

15. Camille Gorgé.