Office of the Historian

711.94114 Supplies/10–2144: Telegram

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

Bern, October 21, 1944.
[Received October 21—1:08 p.m.]

6981. American Interests—Japan. Legation’s 6916, 18th, and 6922, 19th.19 Foreign Office note October 21 states Swiss Legation, Tokyo, telegraphs October 18 following communications from Japanese Foreign Office for Department.

  • “1. Routes to be taken by Japanese ship on voyage to and from approach point off Nakhodka.
    A.
    Outward voyage: Leave Niigata on afternoon October 28; sail straight across Japan Sea; arrive Rashin forenoon October 30; leave [Page 1064] Rashin afternoon November 2 and sailing straight arrive at approach point between 7:00 and 10:00 a.m. Japanese time, November 3 (ship will reach the point at indicated hour in order avoid night voyage as much as possible in consideration of dangers from floating mines).
    B.
    Homeward voyage: Leave approach point afternoon November 6 sailing straight; arrive Rashin forenoon November 7; leave Rashin afternoon same day sailing straight across Japan Sea; arrive Moji forenoon November 10 and arrive Osaka forenoon November 11.
  • 2. Name and tonnage of ship: Hakusan Maru gross tonnage 4351.11.
  • 3. Length 109.20 meters, width 15 meters, full draught 6.55 meters.
  • 4. Kind of ship: cargo and passenger boat.
  • 5. Armament nil.
  • 6. Particulars of outside appearance: one funnel (center), two sets twin masts.20 Painted grey.
  • 7. Crew: 92 persons (16 officers 76 men). Two members Ministry of Foreign Affairs will also be on board.
  • 8. Marks: a white cross is painted over upper deck and on central part of each side. At night all navigation lamps will be lighted and a white cross will be illuminated on upper part of each side.
  • 9. International code address JNRO.”

Department’s 3582, 20th, transmitted Swiss Foreign Office today for urgent communication Japanese Government.21

Harrison
  1. Latter not printed; it supplied corrections to telegram 6916.↩
  2. Telegram 7167, October 28, from Bern, reported a Japanese Foreign Office request that the statement “two sets of twin masts” should read “two masts”. (711.94114 Supplies/10–2844)↩
  3. For text of press release, issued on October 24, dealing with the completion of arrangements for the voyage of the Hakusan Maru, see Department of State Bulletin, October 29, 1944, p. 494.↩