711.94/1633
Memorandum by the Ambassador in Japan
At a private meeting today I acquainted the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Arita, fully with the Department’s views regarding the oral statements of the Minister on June 1283 and June 28. My remarks were prefaced by the observation that it was my opinion that this communication was one of the most important that I had made to the Japanese Government since I had been Ambassador in Tokyo. The conversation lasted for about an hour.
After he had read attentively a second time the record of my oral exposition,84 Mr. Arita picked out that portion which referred to General Chiang Kai-shek and asked whether our comment signified that no change had taken place in our policy of giving support to the Chinese Government at Chungking. My reply was that the passage referred to had exactly the meaning which it said, viz., that my Government recognizes as the Government of China the Government which is at present at Chungking, and that we wish with entire frankness to express the view that there appears to be no probability of solidarity of a united Government for China other than by recognizing a leadership which has the real support of the large majority of the people of China. Mr. Arita remarked that aid to Chungking [Page 95] from France has now been stopped and that the probability exists that British aid will likewise be stopped, which will leave to Chiang Kai-shek assistance only from the United States and the Soviet Union. I brought to the Minister’s attention the obligations of neutrality and stated that the assistance reaching Chungking from my country is a very small proportion of the aid so reaching Japan. The Minister did not pursue the topic further but the fact that he brought it up may be significant of a possible future move in that direction by the Japanese Government.
Mr. Arita said that I might inform my Government that its communication would receive the most careful study both by himself and by the Prime Minister and that he would send us his reply soon. During our conversation I observed that Japan at the present time appeared to be seething with unrest. Mr. Arita acknowledged that that was so and asserted that great pressure is being exerted on the Government to cause it to alter its policy. I replied that I had furnished the Minister today in my communication several basic and comprehensive reasons why it lies in Japan’s best interests to follow a course of good relations with my Government.