793.94 Commission/805: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 17—6:07 a.m.]
41. In informal conversation with a member of my staff the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs last evening stated that Japan would make no further gestures at Geneva and added “we are now awaiting sentence”. Asked what it was proposed to do, he stated that Matsuoka would remain for the Assembly meeting and would vote against the adoption of the report of the Committee of Nineteen. If the report as now drafted is adopted Arita99 said that the Japanese will withdraw their delegation and await developments. He said that the question of withdrawal from the League of Nations is not immediately before the Foreign Office. This question would have to be considered by the Cabinet and referred to the Emperor for consideration by the Privy Council. Before anything could be done about it so many steps would have to be taken and so many people consulted that he felt that the Foreign Office could not express an opinion at the present moment.
Opinion in Japan regarding the advisability of withdrawal from the League is divided, the chauvinists and active militarists being in favor of immediate withdrawal if the Assembly adopts a report adverse to Japan, while the moderate elements favor withdrawal only after careful deliberation, if at all, and are steadily working to prevent precipitate action. The newspapers report conferences between Shidehara, Makino and Prince Saionji1 and assume that the former are working against withdrawal. I am reliably informed that these reports are correct. To Peiping by mail.