701.9411/1664: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Chargé in Switzerland (Huddle)
665. Department’s 604, March 5 and 624, March 7. Following communication has been delivered today to Spanish Embassy in charge of Japanese interests in continental United States:
“The Department of State refers to memorandum no. 93 of February 23, 1942 from the Spanish Embassy in charge of Japanese interests in continental United States transmitting certain observations of the Japanese Government which were made in order to avoid misunderstanding regarding the forthcoming reciprocal exchange of official and non-official persons.
The numbered points of the memorandum under acknowledgment are answered as follows:
- (1)
- Full agreement has apparently been reached on this point.
- (2)
- It is noted that the Japanese Government is prepared to cooperate with the Thai and French authorities in facilitating as a part of the present exchange the transportation to the United States of the American personnel in Thailand and French Indochina. In view of the fact that the exchange agreed upon between the Japanese and American Governments now includes unofficial personnel, it is assumed that the Japanese Government will be equally willing to facilitate the repatriation of non-official Americans from these countries.
- (3)
- The United States Government agrees with the Japanese Government that it is necessary to select suitable shipping to accommodate as many as possible of the persons to be repatriated and to repatriate as soon as feasible those who cannot be accommodated on the first vessel. The United States Government has already informed the Japanese Government through Swiss channels that it will be possible to accommodate on the first exchange vessel from the United States all the Japanese official personnel in the Western Hemisphere as well as various unofficial Japanese nationals. It is assumed that the accommodations provided by the Japanese Government for the repatriation of these persons will be adequate to accommodate all these individuals.
- The United States Government, having been informed by the Japanese Government that the first exchange would take place in three vessels which were named by the Japanese Government, is not certain of the meaning of the expression ‘first exchange vessel’ contained in the communication under acknowledgment.
- (4)
- The United States Government does not desire to
indicate any degree of priority for the repatriation
of its nationals as between individuals. It would,
however, desire that, after all officials of the
United States, the other American Republics, and
Canada, all pressmen, together with members of their
families, and all Red Cross personnel, together with
members of their families, have been embarked,
priority be given among the unofficial Americans to
be repatriated:
- (a)
- to those persons whose presence appears to be objectionable to the Japanese authorities as evidenced by their having been arrested or interned.
- (b)
- to persons from Thailand, Indochina and Hong Kong and from the areas under Japanese control, which are more remote from Tokyo and Shanghai as, for example, Dairen, Harbin, Mukden, Hankow, Nanking, Hainan, Tsinan, Keijo, Tsingtao, Amoy, Swatow and Chefoo. Among these persons, women, children, and the aged and infirm should be given priority.
- After these categories have been taken care of
priority among the Americans to be repatriated from
the remaining centers should be accorded as follows:
- (c)
- Women and children dependents of non-permanent residents listed (f) below:
- (d)
- Women and children dependents of permanent residents according to the urgency of their cases.
- (e)
- Quasi-officials (officers and employees of the Municipal Council of the Shanghai International Settlement; officers and employees of the Chinese Maritime Customs, Chinese Postal Administration. Chinese Salt Gabelle; and advisers to the Chinese Government) and their dependents.
- (f)
- Officers and employees of American organizations (commercial, religious, philanthropic, etc.) sent out from the United States by such organizations.
- It is desired that the selection of persons to be repatriated under the categories set forth above shall be made by the Swiss representatives and it is expected that these will, in cases of doubt, be afforded facilities for conferring with the officials of this Government. It is further expected that the Japanese Government will in every way facilitate communication between the Swiss representatives and American nationals in order that the latter may be fully apprised of the opportunity for their repatriation and the conditions which have been laid down in the agreement for the exchange.
- (5)
- The limited States Government refers to former communications in regard to the return of the Marine guards in China and expects the Japanese Government to take cognizance of their true status as diplomatic guards.
- (6)
- The travel otherwise than in accordance with the stipulated movement to Lourenço Marques of officials accredited to third countries would in the opinion of the United States Government raise numerous complicating questions of safe conduct and of physical travel facilities which could not be settled within a reasonable time and without further undesirable delay. The United States Government would not be in a position to comment upon any redisposition [Page 406] of personnel which the Japanese Government might undertake to make from Lourenço Marques.
- (7)
- It is noted that the Japanese Government has informed its representatives in this hemisphere that they shall leave their posts in order to facilitate the assembly of persons for the exchange. A separate communication has been made on this subject through Spanish channels with particular reference to the Japanese officials in Colombia.
- (8)
- The non-official persons of Japanese nationality residing in those countries in the Americas which have broken relations with Japan will be entitled to the extent that accommodations may permit and that they fall within the categories of the non-official persons to be exchanged, to embark upon the official exchange vessel. As the Japanese Government has been informed through Swiss channels, the number of berths to be available for these non-officials will be approximately 500 and the views of the Japanese Government will be taken into consideration in allocating these berths. It is assumed that the Japanese Government will, in expressing its views, take into consideration the fact that transportation facilities may not permit all Japanese non-official nationals from countries in the Western Hemisphere to reach the port of embarkation before the sailing of the official vessel. It may thus be necessary through no fault of this Government that a small number of Japanese nationals from certain countries await a later exchange vessel.
It is noted that the Japanese Government will request the Portuguese Government to act as guarantor of the execution of the exchange at Lourenço Marques. It is noted that the Japanese Government will mark in a distinctive manner but not as a hospital ship the vessel or vessels to be used for the exchange and will in due course communicate to the United States Government the nature of the markings decided upon.
A separate communication has been sent to the Spanish Embassy in charge of Japanese interests in continental United States accepting in substance the proposal of the Japanese Government regarding funds.
It is noted that the views of the Japanese Government concerning the personal effects of the persons being exchanged coincide with the views of the United States Government and it is presumed that the Japanese Government has now withdrawn its stipulation that the officials embarking on the exchange vessels shall make written declaration of the contents of their baggage.”