711.94/991
The Consul at Kobe (Donovan) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 23.]
Sir: I have the honor to report that Lieutenant-Colonel Hageno (?) Matsumoto, an officer assigned to the staff of Prince Higashi-Kuni, Commander of the Fourth Division of the Japanese Army now at Osaka,67 made a highly inflammatory and anti-American address to the Young Men’s and Ex-Soldiers’ Associations of Suma, a suburb of Kobe, on the evening of October 29th.
The gist of his remarks was as follows:
- 1.
- The outcome of the Naval Conference is immaterial in that Japan now has a preponderance of warships of the class desired, and will continue to maintain this advantage. Japan is in a position to defeat America at any time, and in fact, any other country or combination of countries.
- 2.
- American duplicity during former Naval Conferences degraded Japan, and this insult to the Imperial Navy must be avenged.
- 3.
- After all, America is the one nation that stands in the way of justice, and the long list of insults from that country must be wiped out, and to establish Japan as the just ruler of the world America must be crushed.
- 4.
- America, formerly the richest and most opulent nation in the world has become weak and flabby through dissipation and now is the time for Japan to prove the worth of her inheritance of the Yamato Damashii.
- 5.
- War is surely coming and all must be prepared so that a successful outcome may be assured. The Japanese Army is now waiting for the time to act, and the ex-service men and reserves must be prepared at any time to be called to the colors, which will probably be by the end of this year, or early next year. No ex-service man should leave his district unless on very urgent business, and then only for a very short time.
- 6.
- Japan has never lost a war and never will.
This information was obtained by Clerk Carey J. Scott of the Consulate staff who overheard part of the address. Mr. Scott lives in [Page 683] Suma near where the meeting was held and on the evening of the 29th happened to be walking by the hall. Attracted by the noise he stopped near the entrance for a few minutes and overheard part of the address. That night about 11:30 P.M. a member of the Young Men’s Association called at the latter’s residence in a highly excited state of mind and advised him to leave the country as there would surely be war within a short time. This young Japanese was a former pupil and close personal friend of Mr. Scott’s and from him Mr. Scott was able to obtain complete information regarding Lieutenant-Colonel Matsumoto’s address; It may be mentioned that the hall where the meeting was held is used for athletic events and that Mr. Scott has gone there on various occasions and is personally acquainted with many of the members of the Young Men’s Association, hence his presence for a few minutes near the entrance attracted no attention.
The naval discussions now in progress at London have undoubtedly stirred up anti-foreign feeling in Kobe and such speeches as the one cited above can easily lead to a serious incident involving foreigners especially when the type of listener, usually a not over intelligent or especially well balanced youth, is borne in mind.
Lieutenant-Colonel Matsumoto’s speech is undoubtedly only one of many of its kind since officers of the Japanese Army are continually delivering addresses at meetings of the Young Men’s and Ex-Service Men’s Associations. It is seldom, however, that the text of their remarks is so readily available as it is in the present instance.
The Department is referred to the following despatches68 on the same subject:
- No. 355, August 30, 1934.
- No. 365, September 10, 1934.
- No. 378, September 20, 1934.
- No. 387, October 16, 1934.
- No. 392, October 22, 1934.
- No. 396, October 30. 1934.
Respectfully yours,