793.94/3285: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Forbes) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 22—5:43 a.m.]
273. Saturday afternoon Inukai84 called at the Embassy and I quoted the words of an observer who had told me that in Manchuria Japan was creating a situation which was fraught with the certainty of future war, for with the alienation of Manchurian sovereignty China would not rest a gun. I was assured by Inukai that never would Japan allow such a situation to arise and never would Chinese sovereignty be impaired. He reiterated that Japan merely desired the protection of Japanese persons and interests, and expressed the expectation that with the restoration of order and improvement in the means of transportation in Manchuria there would be greatly increased influx of Chinese inhabitants.
In the meantime, active preparations are continuing for further operations in Manchuria where a free hand seems to have been given to the military.
- Ki Inukai, Prime Minister of Japan, December 13, 1931–May 15, 1932.↩