701.0090/1593½
The Spanish Embassy to
the Department of State
Memorandum
No. 97
Ex. 108.03
The Spanish Embassy in charge of Japanese Interests in the United
States presents its compliments to the Department of State and with
reference to memorandum No. 46 Ex. 108.03 of February 26th17
referring to the Japanese enemy aliens to be repatriated on the next
exchange vessel, has the honor to transcribe hereto the telegram
received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Madrid, which reads
as follows:
- “1. Japanese Government received on 13th February
United States Government’s memorandum dated 2nd [4th] February18 concerning
[Page 873] exchange
of residents and replied on 22nd February19
that it would be impossible to effect exchange on 1st
April owing to shortage of time. Upon further study of
said memorandum Japanese Government wish to make
following observations.
- 2. Prompted by humanitarian motive and desirous of
exchange as many residents as possible, Japanese
Government proposed further exchange but negotiation was
delayed chiefly owing, as was pointed out before, to
fact that list of Japanese residents to be repatriated
compiled by United States Government and forwarded under
date of 3rd November was unsatisfactory to Japanese
Government. Japanese Government, however, are glad to
note from above-said memorandum that United States
Government are ready to comply with Japanese
requirements in this respect.
- 3. In these circumstances Japanese Government are
desirous of effecting the second exchange at earliest
possible date and it is considered expedient to try come
to speedy agreement through adjustment of
above-mentioned lists leaving to future negotiations
question of enlarging scope of exchange and other new
proposals embodied in United States memorandum.
- 4. It is therefore proposed that number of persons to
be exchanged shall be as been expected in former
negotiations, one thousand five hundred from each side.
That place of exchange shall, in consideration of
various circumstances, be exchanged from Lourenço
Marques to port in territory of Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics in East Asia, such as Petropavlovsk
in Kamchatka or Vladivostok, and that exchange ships be
Soviet ships between American and Sovietic ports and
Japanese ships between Japanese and Soviet ports. Should
these alterations be not agreeable to United States
Government, Japanese Government suggest as an
alternative that place of exchange shall be Marmagão in
Portuguese Goa which is port proposed by Japan to Great
Britain, and that exchange ships shall be left to choice
of each side. Japanese Government and United States
Government shall approach Soviet or Portuguese
Government for the necessary cooperation and facilities
according as which of these two plans United States
Government agree to adopt as regard time of exchange.
Japanese Government are prepared to effect exchange
directly Japanese requirements regarding list of
Japanese subjects to be repatriated are complied with,
and an arrangement is made with Government of the
country of port of exchange. In the meanwhile it may be
pointed out that Japanese Government have suggested
latter part of June as time for exchange between Japan
and Great Britain.
- 5. In connection with above-said list, owing to recent
severance of Diplomatic Relations between Japan and
Chile, it has been made necessary to exchange diplomatic
and Consular Officials and other residents between two
countries and taking this aspect into consideration
Japanese Government’s requirements concerning the lists
are indicated in an annex20 to this memorandum. Japanese
Government [Page 874]
hope that United States Government will, as has been
intimated by their memorandum, comply with Japanese
requirements.
- 6. Japanese Government wish that United States
Government will reply to above at their earliest
convenience.”
Washington
, May
4, 1943.
