701.0090/1471a

Memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of State (Long)2

Japanese Exchange

The first exchange was completed August 25.

In June previous preparation of the list for the second exchange was started.

In August, the Japanese Government named certain individuals.

September 1 the tentative sailing list was submitted to the Japanese Government in compliance with its desires.

September 21 the Japanese Government refused to accept the tentative list as submitted and insisted that the persons to be exchanged be those specifically named by it. At the same time they stated that delay was immaterial.

About this time from secret sources the Department learned that the Japanese Government on September 4 had determined not to make a second exchange for the time being and to postpone it for two or three months, but that the American Government was not to be advised.

This information indicated definitely that the Japanese Government would not be ready to enter into an exchange until November or December.

The weeks and months intervening were consumed by the Department and the investigative agencies of other Departments in arriving [Page 868] at a list of names chosen from the lists submitted by the Japanese Government.

From the Japanese lists were stricken the names of 538 persons (in addition to 1630 dependents of those persons, or a total of 2168). This included 46 persons (in addition to 90 dependents of those persons, or a total of 136) from the first and second categories, those being the principal persons desired by the Japanese Government.

November 3 note3 was dispatched to the Japanese Government listing 1800 persons from the lists submitted by them, but omitting all of the 538 names.

December 16 the Department received the reply of the Japanese Government4 (in response to November 3 United States note to Japan) stating the Japanese Government had taken into consideration that the American authorities had not included in the list the priorities requested by the Japanese Government, and stating further that the Japanese Government does not think it possible to come to an agreement for the second exchange unless the United States “clarifies its attitude”.

This reply means that the Japanese Government insists upon the persons it has named as a sine qua non of the exchange of the American nationals.

The receipt of this latest communication of the Japanese Government indicates that the American Government will either have to surrender to Japan persons whom the investigative agencies have stricken off the list or make up its mind to leave its citizens in the Far East for the duration.

Latest advices indicate that the Americans are being interned in Shanghai and other places in China under conditions not in keeping with standards of the Geneva Convention.5

  1. Taken by the Secretary of State to a Cabinet meeting on December 16, 1942. In an attached table (not printed) the number of American citizens to be exchanged is set at 5,100, as follows: In Japan, 50; Shanghai and elsewhere in China, 1,300; Manila (“treated as if considered prisoners of war and not subject to exchange”), 3,000; and Guam and Wake (“treated as prisoners of war”), 750.
  2. Foreign Relations, 1942, vol. i, p. 444.
  3. Ibid., p. 446.
  4. Convention on treatment of prisoners of war, signed July 27, 1929, Foreign Relations, 1929, vol. i, p. 336.