740.00115 Pacific War/12–1946
The American Ambassador in China (Stuart) to the Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs (Wang)38
Excellency: I have the honor to refer to the Embassy’s note No. 262 of July 6, 194639 and to Your Excellency’s Note No. 05666/Tung/35 of August 17, 1946, in regard to the repatriation of Japanese and to the retention of Japanese technical personnel in China.
Officials of the Chinese Government have informed the American military authorities concerned that a large number of Japanese technicians are being withheld from repatriation. According to an estimate made by United States military authorities who have been concerned with repatriation of Japanese, there are 70,000 so-called technicians and members of their families withheld from repatriation in Manchuria. The American military authorities have learned from the Generalissimo’s Northeast Headquarters that that Headquarters has received instructions to the effect that “all the Japanese technicians and workers that are required in the Northeast can be retained”.
In view of the Chinese Government’s attitude in this matter, as set forth in Your Excellency’s note above-mentioned, I am confident that it is not the intention of the Chinese Government to withhold from repatriation large numbers of Japanese technicians and that accordingly there must be some misunderstanding on the part of the officials charged with responsibility in the matter.
My Government shares with Your Excellency’s Government the desire to carry out the program of repatriating Japanese civilians from China and of eliminating all pernicious Japanese influence from China. Accordingly, such steps as Your Excellency may take toward bringing this common purpose to the attention of the authorities concerned, will be greatly appreciated.
Please accept [etc.]