793.94/6670
The Chief of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs (Hornbeck) to the Secretary of State
Mr. Secretary: In the Japan matter, the simple facts in simple outline, as so far disclosed, are as follows: a few weeks ago the Japanese [Page 142] Minister for Foreign Affairs sent to Japan’s Minister in China an instruction giving the principles of what might be called Japan’s “China policy”. The contents of that instruction were made known at that time to Japan’s missions in various other countries. On April 17, the spokesman of the Japanese Foreign Office, Mr. Amau, a responsible official, made a statement to the press, which statement was based upon and followed closely the contents of the instruction referred to above. The novelty about the statement lies not in its contents but in the fact that it was made. Mr. Amau’s statement to the press was not a declaration of policy; it was a disclosure of policy. As a disclosure it simply shows what Japan’s “China policy” is; it confirms estimates long since made by unprejudiced outside observers of what it has been 5 and it shows that the Japanese Foreign Office consciously and deliberately reduced to writing and circulated to its representatives abroad, at about the moment when Mr. Hirota was writing you his letter of February 21, 1934,64 the principles to be followed in pursuit of that policy, in relations with China.
The concluding paragraph in the instruction which the Japanese Foreign Office gave its Minister to China reads as follows:
“5. From the points of view above stated we think our guiding principle should be generally to defeat foreign activities in China at present, not only those of a joint nature but those conducted individually, in view of the fact that China is still trying to tie Japan’s hands through using the influence of foreign Powers.”