Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1943, The British Commonwealth, Eastern Europe, the Far East, Volume III

701.0090/1008: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Minister in Switzerland (Harrison)

Washington, February 4, 1943.

291. American interests Japan, second voyage exchange vessel. Your 6128, December 25, noon.⁶ Following is text of Department’s memorandum to Spanish Embassy, Washington, dated February 4:

“The Department of State refers to memorandum no. 511 dated December 16, 1942 from the Spanish Embassy⁷ in charge of Japanese interests in continental United States communicating a message from the Japanese Government relating to the Department’s memorandum of November 3, 1942, to the Embassy.⁸ The latter memorandum forwarded a tentative list of Japanese nationals to be exchanged for American nationals on a second voyage of the exchange vessels, the Department proposing that the exchange vessels sail about December 1, 1942.

The Spanish Embassy’s memorandum of December 16 informs the Government of the United States that the Japanese Government feels that the American authorities have not taken sufficient interest in finding those Japanese nationals designated by the Japanese Government and that the suggestions of that Government do not seem to have been taken into consideration. It would accordingly appear that the Japanese Government is not prepared to accept the list of Japanese nationals presented with the Department’s memorandum above-mentioned for embarkation on the second voyage of the exchange vessel. A previous list for the second voyage was proposed to the Spanish Embassy by the Department’s memorandum of September 1, 1942⁹ and was likewise rejected by the Japanese Government.

Prior to the first sailing of the exchange vessel, the Government of the United States received from the Japanese Government through the representing Power¹⁰ a number of lists of Japanese nationals whose repatriation was desired by the Japanese Government. Subsequent to that sailing, the Government of the United States has received numerous additional lists. The total number of persons named therein, including dependents, is at present about five thousand.

As the Japanese Government has already been informed, the Government of the United States, when it attempted to prepare a list of those to be included in the second voyage of the exchange vessel, discovered that in the lists presented by the Spanish Embassy on behalf of the Japanese Government there were many duplications, that in a number of cases the individuals had departed from the United States either before the war or on the first voyage of the Gripsholm, that in other cases there was insufficient information for proper identification (such as omission of given names), that many of those named were American citizens and therefore not includible, and that a considerable number of the designated Japanese nationals expressed a desire to remain in the United States. On the other hand there were several thousand Japanese, not yet named by the Japanese Government for exchange, who expressed a desire to be exchanged. The first tentative list, suggested by the Department’s memorandum of September 1, 1942, of passengers for the second voyage of the exchange vessel was composed partly of these last-mentioned Japanese and partly of those already named by the Japanese Government. The second list, presented to the Spanish Embassy on November 3, 1942 was composed entirely of Japanese named by the Japanese Government.

As the Japanese Government is aware, the second sailing of the exchange vessels has already been delayed for many months.

The Government of the United States has been and is still desirous of proceeding with the exchange of American and Japanese nationals at the earliest feasible date. To that end the Government of the United States has, during the months that have transpired since the first sailing of the exchange vessels, put forth great efforts to locate and identify all of the persons in the various lists received from the Spanish Embassy representing the interests of Japan. Those efforts have revealed the above-mentioned defects in the Japanese lists and difficulties in locating Japanese named for exchange, which defects and difficulties expanded with each list received. The mere fact that a particular Japanese did not appear upon the list presented for the second voyage of the exchange vessel does not necessarily mean that the Government of the United States is unwilling to exchange that person. The Government of the United States will give the utmost consideration to each individual case with a view to meeting as far as possible the desires of the Japanese Government.

To the end of exchanging as rapidly as possible all those nationals who are susceptible of being exchanged and thus meeting their desires and the desires of their Governments, the Government of the United States proposes that:

(1) The Governments of Japan and the United States agree each to exchange a minimum of 4,500 persons of whom 1,500 are to be exchanged on each of three further sailings of the exchange vessels;

(2) The exchange vessels of each Government arrive at Lourenço Marques on the three sailings on or about April 1, June 15, and August 30, 1943;

(3) In selecting the individuals to be embarked for exchange the detaining Government will endeavor as far as possible to follow the desires of the other Government and the wishes of the individuals; and

(4) This arrangement covers, on the one hand, Japanese official and non-official civilians in the United States and in other interested American countries, and, on the other hand, official and non-official civilians of the United States and of the other American countries aforementioned who are in the Japanese Empire and Japanese-occupied territory, including the Philippines, Wake and Guam, and in other areas in the Far East associated with Japan in the war.

Upon the conclusion of this exchange further exchanges could be undertaken if mutually agreeable. In that connection, it is to be pointed out again that there are several thousand Japanese in the United States not yet named for exchange by the Japanese Government who have expressed a desire to return to Japan and whom the United States Government is willing to exchange.

With a view to proceeding immediately under this proposal, if it is acceptable to the Japanese Government, the Government of the United States suggests that, in order that the exchange vessels may be enabled to depart from their respective countries and arrive at Lourenço Marques on the first date above mentioned, April 1, the Japanese Government either (1) communicate its assent to the list already furnished on November 3, with the assurance from the Government of the United States that vacancies which may occur for the reasons hereinbefore mentioned, will be filled by additional Japanese named in the lists received from the Spanish Embassy, or (2) indicate those Japanese nationals whom it desires eliminated from the November 3 list and suggest from the names already presented by the Japanese Government substitutes therefor. With that assent as indication given, the Government of the United States invites the Japanese Government to indicate its desires with respect to the passenger list for the succeeding two voyages of the exchange vessel from the United States.

The primary purpose of the Government of the United States in wishing to proceed with the exchange at the earliest possible moment is based on humanitarian considerations, including the desire that its nationals now in enemy-controlled areas may be returned as soon as possible to their own country. The Government of the United States assumes that the Japanese Government is similarly motivated.

An early expression of the views of the Japanese Government would be welcomed.”

Department does not understand your statement that safe conduct will not be granted but interprets it to mean that safe conduct would not be granted for exchange based upon the list of Japanese nationals proposed for repatriation, transmitted with Department’s memorandum of November 3 to Spanish Embassy, Washington, the substance of which was communicated to you for information of Swiss Government in Department’s 2469, November 3.¹¹ Since safe conduct is indispensable condition to any such exchange, Department assumes that when satisfied with respect to passenger lists Japanese Government will not only grant safe conduct but will also obtain necessary safe conducts from its allies as already agreed. Swiss Legation Tokyo should be so informed and requested urgently to confirm Department’s understanding with respect to safe conduct.

Hull

6. Not printed; it reported Japanese views that delay in the exchange vessels was not attributable to the Japanese Government but to differences between the American and Japanese Governments on the lists of Japanese to be evacuated, and that safe conduct would not be granted (701.0090/1459).
7. Foreign Relations, 1942, vol. i, p. 446.
8. Ibid., p. 444.
9. Not printed.
10. Spain.
11. Not printed.