Office of the Historian

740.00115 P.W./10–1744

The Department of State to the Spanish Embassy

The Department of State refers to memorandum no. 227 dated October 17, 1944, and to memoranda nos. 228 and 229 dated October 18, 1944, from the Spanish Embassy25 in charge of Japanese interests in the United States concerning mail and relief supplies to be sent from Japan on the Japanese ship which the Japanese Government is arranging to send to the Soviet port Nakhodka, intended for distribution to Japanese nationals detained by the United States.

The United States Government reiterates its willingness previously expressed to the Japanese Government to arrange for the forwarding of mail and relief supplies to the United States and assures the Spanish Embassy that mail and relief supplies sent from Japan will, upon arrival in the United States, be distributed promptly to the intended recipients. The United States Government is informing the Soviet Government that the Japanese Government intends to forward the above-mentioned supplies to Nakhodka on the Japanese ship. Since the Soviet Government has been fully informed as to the reciprocal nature of this operation, this Government foresees no difficulty in connection with the transshipment at Nakhodka of relief supplies and mail sent from Japan intended for Japanese nationals detained in the Western Hemisphere.

It is noted that the above-mentioned relief supplies and mail are intended for internees in the Dominion of Canada, as well as those held in the United States. Upon arrival in the United States this Government will arrange for the forwarding of such mail and relief supplies to Canada.26

Washington , October 27, 1944.
  1. Nos. 228 and 229 not printed; they reported the Japanese Government’s intentions to include mail for internees on the vessel being sent to “Port Nakhodka” and desired that articles on this vessel be distributed to internees in Canada as well as in the United States. (711.94114 Mail/10–1844)↩
  2. In telegram 4131, December 7, to Bern, the Department informed the Legation that 73 cases of books and 5 bags of prisoner of war mail had arrived at San Francisco and that arrangements were being made for expeditious distribution. Telegram 7895, December 2, from Bern, reported that the Japanese Government had not sent tea to Nakhodka. (711.94114 Supplies/12–244)↩