711.94/1855
Memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of State (Berle)
The Japanese Ambassador came in today to say good-bye. He thanked me for my personal courtesies, adding that he regretted the difficult relations now prevailing between this country and Japan, and hoped that they would improve.
I said I hoped so, too. I said that I had nothing of course to add to the statement of our position made by Secretary Hull and Mr. Welles, but I did wish to add a personal word, on my own account.
There appeared to be a feeling in Japan, and also in other countries, that this country could accept regional divisions based on purely Machiavellian considerations. It was not realized, generally, that this country endeavored to govern by principles to which it held quite as [Page 116] tenaciously as any totalitarian government. We did not believe in regional or other arrangements based purely on force, politics,. We had challenged the domination attempted by Napoleon; and had maintained throughout all our history the hope of a free world in which relations were carried on under law on a basis of common sense, courtesy and kindness. We were totally unable to accept anything else.
The Ambassador said that he knew I was perfectly familiar with the Japanese point of view, namely, that they were not seeking domination but merely seeking cooperation, but that once the struggle had begun, it was difficult for statesmen to find a solution.
I said that without commenting on that I ventured to express my personal regret that Japan had allowed itself to become tied to the exigencies of a European struggle.1 We had seen the German-Italian alliance, and now saw the Italians in the position almost of prisoner. We had seen the Russo-German agreement, and now Russia was threatened, north, east and west. We saw an apparent domination by force on the continent, and were persuaded that this was the most transitory of arrangements: Europe has seen many such temporary dominations before, and they have never lasted.
The Ambassador alluded to some of the economic difficulties of Japan.
I said that probably the Ambassador was aware that the United States had stood ready at all times, once granted that force politics and conquest were abandoned, to endeavor to assist its neighbor countries so far as possible in all economic ways. We had endeavored to make this clear before the European conflict broke out. I personally hoped that the day might come when once more, dreams of conquest and military power being laid aside, we could begin to discuss possible solutions of economic problems which might ameliorate the life of the individuals for whom governments were, at long last, responsible. I said that I still felt that if that day were ever reached, this country would again stand ready to be of such help as it could.
The Ambassador said, somewhat sadly, that these were difficult times. He hoped relations would improve; meanwhile, he could only hope that those who could look ahead might give wise counsel. Were the war to become a true world war, he felt that it would be not only a tragedy for both countries, but for humanity in general.