Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1933, The Far East, Volume III

793.94 Commission/830: Telegram

The Minister in Switzerland (Wilson) to the Secretary of State

Geneva, February 21, 1933—6 p.m.
[Received February 21—3:10 p.m.]

118. Immediately after the meeting of the Assembly (see Gilbert’s 54, February 21, 6 [5] p.m.) Sawada⁶ visited me and acting under instructions of Matsuoka handed me a copy of the “observations of the Japanese delegation on the draft report submitted to the Assembly by the Committee of Nineteen”. Sawada explained that Matsuoka will take a similar line at the Assembly but that the “observations” are not a draft of Matsuoka’s speech. The “observations” will be handed to the Secretariat tomorrow for circulation.

According to Sawada after the adoption of the resolution which he regards as inevitable the Japanese delegation will leave Geneva. This does not mean that Japan immediately leaves the League since Sawada explained certain constitutional procedure will be necessary within Japan before such a step is taken; also the Government have not reached final decision on this point.

He added that it has not yet been decided what the Japanese Government will do regarding its participation in the Disarmament Conference.

Matsuoka will proceed to the United States en route for Japan in the near future. Sawada who is chief of the Japanese League of Nations Office in Paris will return to Paris to await the decision by his Government as to whether Japan will definitely separate from the League or in what form its participation will continue.

See my 119, February 21, 6 [7?] p.m.⁷

Wilson

6. Setsuzo Sawada, Director, Japanese Bureau of League of Nations.
7. Not printed; it summarized the Japanese observations; for text of the observations, see League of Nations, Official Journal, Special Supplement No. 112 (Geneva, 1933), pp. 85–87.