740.0011 PW/5–1745
The British Minister (Sansom) to the Chief of the Division of Japanese Affairs
(Dickover)
Washington, May 17,
1945.
Dear Dick: With reference to our
conversation in which you informed me of some statements made in
Tokyo to the Swedish Minister by certain Japanese individuals, I
send you herewith the substance of a telegram just received from the
Foreign Office.
You will see that the Foreign Office, like the Department of State,
did not regard the statements quoted as amounting to a peace feeler;
and that some additional information as to remarks made by Prince
Konoye5 is included in their message.
We have just received your memorandum of May 14th6 regarding
[Page 482]
the views of the Japanese Counsellor at
Lisbon, and have transmitted it to the Foreign Office.
Yours very sincerely,
[Enclosure]
The British Embassy
to the Department of State
The Foreign Office received a similar report from the same source
and through the same channels early in April, to the effect that
the Japanese considered unconditional surrender dishonourable
and would not accept any change in the constitution affecting
the position of the Emperor.
According to the version received by the Foreign Office, the
Japanese individuals in question said that suggestions mooted at
the recent I.P.R.7 Conference that the Emperor and
his family should be set aside, had created a very bad
impression even among those Japanese who were most in favour of
ending the war. The report added that the Japanese realized that
the war was lost and that they would be prepared to accept far
reaching conditions in a negotiated peace, but they did not
believe that the Allies could occupy Japan.
The above views were not, in the report received by the Foreign
Office, quoted as those of certain high ranking officials, but
as representing the attitude of the Japanese people in general.
There did not seem to be any question of a peace feeler, and
consequently it was not thought worth while to notify the
Department of State.
Subsequently the Foreign Office have received from the same
source a report that Suzuki8 is in favour of making peace, but what kind of
peace is not stated. This report adds that Prince Konoye, in
conversation with the Swedish Minister, had expressed the view
that the British must be getting very jealous of the Americans
now that the latter had shown such extraordinary strength in
both Europe and Asia.
The Swedish Minister is said to have answered that it would be
foolish of the Japanese to count upon any disagreement between
the United States and Britain.
[Washington,] May 17,
1945.
