711.94/2622
Memorandum by the Counselor of Embassy in Japan (Dooman)
As requested by Mr. Terasaki,80a I called on him at the Foreign Office at three o’clock this afternoon. Mr. Terasaki said that he would appreciate my conveying to the Ambassador a private message from him, as follows:
The interview between the Foreign Minister and the Ambassador, to be held at four o’clock this afternoon would be of the greatest importance. He hoped that it would initiate a series of conversations [Page 560] between them which would eventually yield a satisfactory adjustment of American-Japanese relations. If these conversations should prove unsuccessful, he did not believe that another attempt could be made. If a Cabinet under the leadership of Prince Konoye should prove unable to adjust relations with the United States, it would be inconceivable for any other Japanese statesman to succeed where he had failed.
The prime requisite in accomplishing the end which he had in mind was high statesmanship on both sides—an undue alertness on the part of either side to criticize the actions and policies of the other should be avoided and each should make effort to appreciate the position of the other.
The third point stressed by Mr. Terasaki was that whereas Japan was ready to respond to any action by the United States intended to bring the conflict in the Far East to an end, it will under no circumstances give in to any form of pressure.
Mr. Terasaki concluded by requesting that I inform the Ambassador that high hopes were being held in all influential quarters with regard to the outcome of the conversations which would be initiated by today’s interview between the Ambassador and the Foreign Minister. He hoped that the Ambassador would do everything possible to bring these hopes to full fruition.
Note: Mr. Terasaki explained that the conversations would be “off the record”, by which he meant that there would be no commitment on either side in regard to any question which might arise during the conversations.
- Director of the American Bureau of the Japanese Ministry for Foreign Affairs.↩