No. 379

 

FROM: Moscow (Tatekawa)

TO: Tokyo

12 May 1941

 

Commerce # 73.

 

Re your Commerce Circular # 1049 [a].

 

Regarding this question, I had a conference with MIKOYAN [b] on the 9th. I asked him if there was under consideration any new German-Soviet plan for collaboration. After a slight hesitation he replied that there was no such thing being carried on.

 

[a] Not available.

[b] Anastas Ivanovich Mikoyan—Peoples' Commissar for Food Industry.

 

Trans. Not dated

 

No. 380

 

FROM: Berlin (Osima)

TO: Tokyo

May 12, 1941

 

# 520.

 

1. DNB and other agencies, without giving details, send in articles and editorials appearing in our newspapers and the German authorities are becoming rather alarmed. Every time they receive something which displeases them because they consider it disadvantageous or delicate, referring to German-Soviet relations (for example, the article published by the Roochi on May 5th and the article about Iraq in the Kokumin of the 3rd), they come to me and complain. Well, all I can do is explain to them the difference between our way of doing this and the German way of doing things so far as the press is concerned.

2. Through a most rigorous control of the press, Germany suppresses all reports unfavorable to Japan. Not only that but she follows a policy of treating everything concerning Russia with silent contempt and the tendency is to make as little reference thereto as possible. When STALIN assumed the Premiership of the Soviet, you would be surprised at what tiny reports appeared in the German papers concerning this.

3. Please take note of the above facts and see that the press is given better guidance hereafter.

 

Trans. 5-21-41

 

No. 381

 

FROM: Tokyo (Matsuoka)

TO: Washington (Koshi)

15 February 1941

 

# 070.

 

In 3 parts—complete.

 

Action London as # 47.

 

His Imperial Japanese Majesty's Minister for Foreign Affairs is rather surprised to learn an attitude of undue concern on the part of His Britannic Majesty's Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs which is no doubt based upon information emanating from the British Embassy in Tokyo and other sources. There is of course no way to ascertain what kind of information the British government have been receiving but the Minister of Foreign Affairs would like to avail himself of this opportunity to state that so far as he can see there is no ground for entertaining alarming views on the situation in East Asia. On more than one occasion the Minister

 

Page A-198

 

of Foreign Affairs explained to the British Ambassador in Tokyo and even to the public at large that one of the primary purposes of the Tripartite Pact is to limit the sphere of the European war by preventing those powers not engaged in hostilities at present from entering the war and also to bring about its termination as quickly as possible. The Japanese government has not so far found any reason or occasion to alter this avowed aim which constitutes a fundamental basis of their policy. The British government may rest assured on this point.

However, the Minister of Foreign Affairs feels that he owes it to candor to say that he cannot help entertaining a certain amount of anxiety, if not misgivings, as to the movements of the British and American governments in their attempt to expedite and enlarge warlike preparations with an eye to meeting supposed contingencies in the Pacific and the South Seas. Press reports about these movements originating from American sources and elsewhere are causing increasing misgivings in Japan with the consequence that in some quarters it is contended that Japan should lose no time in taking measures to meet the worst eventuality in these regions.

The concern felt is rather natural in the face of these disturbing reports. If the American government could only be persuaded to restrict their activities in this respect to the Western Hemisphere, prudently avoiding to cause anxiety unnecessarily in the minds of Japanese, the situation would indeed be very much mitigated.

Having had the privilege of forming personal acquaintanceship at Geneva with His Britannic Majesty's Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs and prompted by the belief that an exchange of frank views in a general way at this juncture will be of some service in enabling the two peoples to see eye to eye, the Minister for Foreign Affairs wishes to take the liberty of making further observations. The uppermost thought in his mind has always been the world peace. He sincerely hopes that on the one hand, the China Affair will be brought to an end as soon as possible and on the other, the European war will see an early termination. It is his earnest and constant prayer that the powers may gather again to discuss at a round table their differences and disputes and deliberate on the great question of organizing an enduring peace upon a just and equitable world order. In this connection, he desires to assure his eminent colleague that far from aspiring to control the destinies of, and to dominate other peoples, it is Japan's established policy to inaugurate an era of peace and plenty and of mutual helpfulness of greater East Asia by promoting the spirit of concord and conciliation. As repeatedly affirmed, Japan's motto is "no conquest, no exploitation". He, therefore, strongly deprecates those biased reports designed to calumniate Japan.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs confesses his utter inability to see any good purpose served by prolonging the war whatever the motive. Whatever the outcome, whoever the victor, there are present in every European, if not the world situation, elements of a great danger to face a fearful spectacle of chaos and confusion, possibly eventuating in the downfall of modern civilization. It takes statesmanship of a high order to foresee and meet in time a catastrophic contingency.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs has not lost hope yet that such statesmanship will not be wanting in the British Empire. Lastly, the Minister for Foreign Affairs would like to make it clear that Japan, deeply concerned as she is with an early restoration of peace, is fully prepared to act as a mediator or to take whatever action calculated to revive normal conditions, not only in Greater East Asia but anywhere the world over. The Minister for Foreign Affairs trusts that his Britannic Majesty's Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs will not hesitate to share the conviction that upon the shoulders of the leading powers rest the great and grave responsibility of restoring peace and saving modern civilization from an impending collapse. Such responsibility can only be fulfilled by a wise and courageous statesmanship willing to

 

Page A-199

 

display an accommodating and generous position listening to other's claims and contentions. It is hardly necessary to add that whatever Japan may do she will always be actuated by the consciousness of responsibility which she owes to humanity.

 

Trans. 2-19-41