740.00115 PW/8–2444: Telegram
The Minister in Switzerland (Harrison) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 25—2:10 a.m.]
5546. American Interests, Far East. Department’s 2738, August 9.73 Substance Swiss aide-mémoire August 22 follows: Gorgé replies to Department’s observations that he already made new representation end July to Japanese Foreign Office concerning visits POW camps in Japan and territory occupied by Japanese forces, but that this representation produced no result, his interlocutor taking refuge in complete silence.
Swiss Minister fully understands reasons why American Government requests contemplated representation to Spanish and Swedish Governments should not be divulged. Under these circumstances Gorgé believes that a new personal representation would be useless. However, he continues to discuss the question using the customary arguments and he has just obtained authorization visit three important POW camps in northern Japan, at Hakodate. As this very limited authorization always covers only camps in metropolitan Japan and despite assurance given that after visit to Hakodate camps other visits will occur it appears that representation foreseen by American [Page 992] Government to Spanish and Swedish Governments might now be made.74
- Not printed; the Department stated it was willing to delay briefly its contemplated requests to the Spanish and Swedish Governments along the lines set forth in footnote 74, p. 992.↩
- Letters of September 14 to the Spanish Ambassador (Cárdenas) and the Swedish Minister (Boström), not printed, requested their Governments to inform the Japanese Government of the scrupulous endeavors of the United States Government to fulfill the application of the Geneva Convention to Japanese prisoners of war and of its concern regarding reports of mistreatment of American nationals by Japan, and “to emphasize to the Japanese Government that only through the extension of complete reciprocity can the Japanese Government expect to continue indefinitely to enjoy for its nationals the protection that stems from the complete freedom with which representatives of the Powers protecting Japanese interests have visited, and continue to be permitted to visit, all places without exception where Japanese nationals are interned or accommodated by the United States, to speak with these nationals without witnesses, and freely to correspond with them regarding their desires, complaints, property, et cetera.” (740.00115 P.W./8–2444)↩