793.94/9552: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
289. Embassy’s 272, August 16, 6 p.m., and 279, August 18, 6 p.m.31 The following informal note and enclosure were received this morning from the Minister for Foreign Affairs:
“August 20, 1937. My Dear Ambassador: With reference to Your Excellency’s note of August 1632 I wish to inform you that on the 18th instant Mr. J. L. Dodds, British Chargé d’Affaires, called upon the Vice Minister, Mr. Horinouchi, and made a proposal to the effect that if both the Chinese and Japanese Governments will agree to withdraw their forces including men-of-war from the Shanghai area and will agree also to entrust to foreign authorities the protection of Japanese nationals in the International Settlement and on the extra-Settlement roads, the British Government will be prepared to undertake this responsibility provided other powers cooperate.
In reply Mr. Horinouchi handed a note on the 19th to Mr. Dodds, a copy of which I am enclosing herewith for Your Excellency’s reference in the hope that this, being an exposition of our views regarding [Page 354] the situation, will be considered sufficient to serve as an answer to your note. For, under the circumstances now prevailing in and around Shanghai this is the only possible reply we can make at this juncture although we do not, of course, fail to appreciate the spirit which has actuated the Government of the United States to approach the Japanese Government with a view to keeping the International Settlement free from hostilities.
In addressing Your Excellency this note, I wish to add that the Japanese Government deeply appreciate the friendly attitude which the American Government have consistently maintained toward this country.
I am, my dear Ambassador, with cordial regards, sincerely yours, K. Hirota.”
Enclosure:
- “1. The Japanese Government, earnestly desiring to protect the lives and property of foreigners as well as Japanese in and around Shanghai, have done everything possible to keep those areas from the disasters of hostilities. For instance, Ambassador Kawagoe, in reply [to] the letter dated August 11th, signed by the Ambassadors of Germany, the United States of America, France, Great Britain, and Italy, stated, as Your Excellency must be aware, to the following effect: (1) That the Japanese marines have been given a strict order to act with utmost patience and that Japan has not slightest intention of taking aggressive action, without provocation, against the Chinese troops or Peace Preservation Corps; (2) that if the Chinese Government withdraw their troops and the Peace Preservation Corps which, disregarding the agreement from [for] the cessation of hostilities concluded at Shanghai in 1932, have been massed near the International Settlement menacing the Japanese, and will abolish their military works in the neighborhood of the Settlement, we are prepared to restore our marines to their original positions. Furthermore, our Government were giving their favorable consideration to the concrete proposal made to our Consul General Okamoto by the British, American, and French Consuls General at Shanghai. Notwithstanding such peaceful attitude on the part of the Japanese Government, the Chinese have not only failed to cease their aggression on the Settlement but even went the length of launching attacks upon our Consulate General and warships, bombing them from the air on the 14th when our Government had just received a cable report concerning the said proposal from the above-mentioned Consuls General. This naturally compelled our forces to resort to self-defense.
- 2. We believe that the authorities of the powers on the spot are fully aware of the fact that the present Sino-Japanese hostilities in Shanghai have been caused by China, which, by violating the agreement of 1932, moved its regular troops into the district forbidden by the said agreement, and by increasing the number and armaments of the Peace Preservation Corps took the offensive to provoke the Japanese marines.
Therefore, we trust that Your Excellency will understand that the hostilities will cease as soon as the Chinese troops are evacuated to the districts outside the agreed area and the Peace Preservation Corps are withdrawn from the front lines; and that Japan is not in a position to consider the withdrawal of her forces whose continued presence in [Page 355] the Settlement and the harbor in their present strength does not constitute a cause of further hostilities, since their sole purpose from the outset has been to protect our nationals and they have been maintaining a purely defensive position, having no intention of advancing into the Chinese-inhabited area.
However, Japan with her numerous nationals in the Settlement is as greatly solicitous as other powers of the safety of the lives and property of Japanese and foreigners in that Settlement and earnestly desires that hostilities will cease as soon as possible through the evacuation of the Chinese regulars and the Peace Preservation Corps which are similarly armed and are indulging in hostilities against the Japanese to the areas outside the districts of the agreement. For this reason the Japanese Government sincerely hope that the powers concerned, especially those that have been assisting in the negotiations concerning the agreement for the cessation of hostilities of 1932, will exert their influence upon China toward the realization of these aims.”
Repeated to Nanking.