701.0090/454a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Switzerland (Harrison)
1615. Exchange negotiations—Japan. Your 2834 and 2835, June 20.52 Department is surprised by indication that Japanese Government is postponing sailing of its exchange vessels until receipt of list of Japanese embarked on Gripsholm which left New York June 18. Department until receipt of these telegrams has been entirely without any knowledge from the Spanish representative here of Japanese interests or from the Japanese Government through Swiss channels that the Japanese Government desired the passenger list of the Gripsholm for approval before the departure of the ship. It has understood that the Gripsholm could depart upon a statement from the Spanish representative here that he was satisfied with the complement of the vessel. Accordingly a passenger list of 987 Japanese and 10 Thai nationals ready for embarkation on the ship was given to the Spanish Ambassador on June 15 and he was informed that approximately 403 Japanese were to be embarked at Rio de Janeiro from Brazil and Paraguay; consequently there remained vacancies for 98 additional persons from the United States whom he might name to complete the full passenger carrying capacity of 1500 for the vessel. The Spanish Ambassador proceeded on June 16 to New York and consulted there with the former Japanese Ambassador aboard the Gripsholm. He subsequently furnished the Department with additional names of Japanese to fill the vacancies, and there were embarked on board as many of the Japanese named as could be transported to New York for the sailing of the ship, including 17 Japanese from Peru and Ecuador who were in Louisiana and who were put on board by special plane. Matsudaira53 was also placed aboard. The two others were already aboard and have sailed. The names of the additional persons who were actually placed on board were given to the Spanish Ambassador and he had a final conference with Nomura aboard the Gripsholm on June 18. On that evening he informed the Department that the passenger list as completed was approved by him and by Nomura and that he considered that this Government had fulfilled the terms of its agreement to date to the fullest possible extent.
As your 2733, June 16, indicated that the Asama Maru and the Conte Verde would depart on June 17 and 18 respectively from Yokohama and Osaka, the Gripsholm was permitted to sail, at 11:22 p.m. June 18 for Lourenço Marques via Rio de Janeiro. The ship actually had on board 1065 Japanese and 18 Thai nationals, total [Page 435] 1083, leaving 417 Japanese to be embarked at Rio de Janeiro. The passenger list included all of the Japanese officials in the United States on the outbreak of war and all Japanese officials who were brought to the United States subsequently from other American countries. It included also Japanese newspaper men and non-official Japanese nationals whose names had been submitted to this Government by the Spanish Ambassador in so far as such non-official Japanese could be located and desired to leave, and the passenger carrying capacity of the ship would permit.54
This Government insists therefore that it has fully complied with the terms of the agreement and points out that the Gripsholm sailed with the consent of the Spanish representative here of Japanese interests after consultation with the chief Japanese official aboard the ship, namely Nomura. It desires to point out further that it permitted the Gripsholm to depart with the clear understanding with the Japanese Government, according to your 2733, June 16, that the Japanese exchange vessels would depart at the same time, on June 17 and 18. It permitted Matsudaira to embark with the understanding that McKinnon and Mr. and Mrs. Lane would be included among the Americans to be repatriated on the first British or second American exchange vessel, whichever left Japan first, as stated in Green’s55 telephonic conversation on June 17 with Tait.56 It therefore desires immediate confirmation of the departure of the Japanese ships.
A complete list of the Japanese and Thai passengers on board the Gripsholm at the time of the ship’s departure from New York on June 18 has been given to the Spanish Ambassador.
- Neither printed.↩
- Ichiro Matsudaira, son of president of Japanese Imperial Household.↩
- For statement of relief supplies carried on first exchange voyage of the Gripsholm, see Department of State Bulletin, April 10, 1943, p. 295.↩
- Joseph C. Green, Chief of the Special Division.↩
- George Tait, First Secretary of Legation in Switzerland.↩