793.94 Conference/153: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 1—1:25 p.m.]
507. Department’s 277, October 31, 2 p.m.
1. I am astonished by Yoshida’s statements.
2. Neither Hirota nor any other responsible official in the Japanese Government has indicated to me or to any member of my staff that the Japanese Government desires to discuss with American and British representatives the terminating of the hostilities in the Far East.
[Page 135]3. We have as occasion offered telegraphed Japanese press opinion which reflects as closely as we can judge the position of the Japanese Government and people. We now add an excerpt from an editorial which appeared yesterday in the Asahi, for the reason that this is probably the most influential and at the same time the most moderate Japanese paper:
“The position of Japan is that it positively wants no armistice until China reconsiders its attitude and is prepared to liquidate its anti-Japanese policy. There is need for the concerned powers to revise their knowledge on this point. Rumors to the effect that Japan desires an armistice derive from prejudiced countries which seek to succor China from the plight into which it has fallen, and the effort by the powers toward peace which is based on these rumors is, so far as Japan is concerned, merely misplaced kindness.”
There is no evidence that, apart from “big business”, especially that element directly engaged in foreign trade,—and that element dares not be vocal—there is any substantial section of the population which now holds any such opinion as that described by Yoshida. There has recently been no substantial increase in taxation the incidence of which would fall on the masses; there is no unemployment worth mentioning; exports are being well maintained; and the military occupation are being described as an uninterrupted series of victories. Losses are minimized. Of these factors, we cannot but regard expressions of press opinion such as that above quoted as reflective of the national will, especially when their daily reiteration is unrelieved by manifestations of contrary thought.
4. We believe there is a greater probability that the suggestion that Japanese representatives have an early meeting with a subcommittee of the Brussels Conference originated with Yoshida than that it was put forth by him under instruction. As the Department is aware, Yoshida has initiative, he has been active and imaginative in trying to restore good relations between Japan and Great Britain, and he is not on good terms with the Japanese military. All these facts suggest that Yoshida is endeavoring on his own initiative to find a path out of the difficulty. However, the possibility that he spoke with the knowledge of his Government cannot be entirely eliminated. In our telegram 482, October 20, 5 p.m. we reported that some Japanese advocated Japan’s attendance at the Brussels Conference. We understand that this view is still being advanced, but necessarily in modified form to meet the situation brought about by subsequent Japanese refusal to attend the Conference. It may well be, therefore, that the Japanese Government is endeavoring through Yoshida to find some basis for indirect Japanese contact with the Conference.