793.94/2030: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 10—7 a.m.]
736. Copy of following memorandum published as Reuter message in this morning’s Peking Leader has just been supplied by the Japanese Legation with statement that it was to be communicated to the Chinese Government.18
“(1) Japanese Government has already made it clear that Manchurian affair is nothing but outcome of reported [deep-rooted] anti-Japanese feeling in China which has taken [a] specially provocative form in recent challenge to Japanese troops compelling latter to resort to measures of self-defense. Responsibility for present situation naturally lies with Chinese Government.
Japanese Government has time and again requested Chinese Government to take proper steps to check anti-Japanese Government [movement] so systematically carried out in various places in China. Being desirous of maintaining cordial relations between [the] two countries this Government has exercised greatest patience and forbearance in hope that this deplorable state of affairs may yet improve. Unfortunately however this anti-Japanese agitation seems now to be assuming alarming proportions.
It is learned that anti-Japanese societies at Shanghai and elsewhere have passed resolutions not only to enforce prohibition of trading in and transportation of Japanese goods but to order cancellation of existing contracts and otherwise to prohibit all business transactions and to cancel contracts of employment between Chinese and Japanese in order thus to effect so-called ‘severance of economic relations with Japan’. For that purpose examination and detention of goods and persons, intimidation and violence, and various other means are being employed to give effect to such resolutions and severe penalties are meted out to any who [may] fail to comply with these orders, some [Page 152] societies even going so far as to threaten capital punishment. Moreover cases of expropriation and detention of goods owned by Japanese people and of threats and violence against their lives and property have become so numerous and insistent throughout China that they have been forced to withdraw totally or partially from various localities.
(2) It is to be noted that anti-Japanese movement in China is conducted as instrument of national policy under direction of Nationalist Party which in view of peculiar political organization of China is inseparable in function from [the] Government. That movement must therefore be clearly distinguished from one which originates spontaneously amongst people. It is therefore evident that present anti-Japanese movement in China is not only in contravention of letter and spirit of treaties expiring [existing] between [the] two countries but constitutes [a] form of hostile act without use of arms contrary to all standards of justice and friendship. Chinese Government will be assuming very serious responsibility if it should fail to take prompt and effective measures to quell that agitation. Moreover in meting out penal sentences to individual citizens anti-Japanese societies which are purely private organizations are clearly usurping authority of National Government.
(3) It will be remembered that at recent meeting of Council of League of Nations at Geneva Chinese representative as well as Japanese gave assurance that their respective Governments would endeavor to prevent aggravation of situation.19 Chinese Government obviously against that pledge is actually aggravating situation by making no honest or effective effort to restrain activities of anti-Japanese societies which are jeopardizing lives and property as well as liberty of trade of Japanese subjects in different parts of China.
(4) Japanese Government desires to call once more serious attention of Chinese Government to these actions on part of anti-Japanese societies and to declare at same time that Chinese Government will be held responsible for whatever may be consequences of its failure to suppress anti-Japanese movement and to afford adequate protection to lives and property of Japanese subjects in China.”
Tokyo appropriately informed.
- The text of this memorandum was sent to the Department by the Japanese Embassy on October 8, Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931–1941, vol. i, p. 15.↩
- League of Nations, Official Journal, December 1931, pp. 2279, 2282.↩