793.94/6555
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 10.]
Sir: I have the honor to report that a member of my staff had a conversation to-day with a Japanese diplomatic officer with regard to Japanese ambitions in China. This officer, who is entirely out of [Page 5] sympathy with the Japanese military, stated that, although he had little actual information about the plans of the military, he had certain opinions which he would express in strict confidence.
This officer stated that he thought it quite probable that Inner Mongolia would before long be a part of Pu Yi’s empire. When questioned with regard to the possibility of Japanese expansion further west, that is, into Sinkiang, where Japanese agents are now said to be at work, he expressed the view that such expansion, although possible, belongs to the distant future, if it is to occur at all. He does not believe that Pu Yi’s capital will be moved from Changchun. Admitting that there are Japanese agents attempting to bribe Chinese leaders in North China to become independent of Nanking for the purpose of expanding “Manchukuo” into this area, he apparently believes that these agents lack sufficient funds for the purpose as well as the support of the proper Japanese authorities elsewhere. His statements indicated that, in his opinion, Japanese leaders are still not in agreement on Japan’s policy of expansion on the continent and that he seems to think that the more conservative Japanese leaders would be able to prevent the establishment of an independent North China through Japanese activities and its absorption by “Manchukuo”. His own opinion in this connection was that such over-expansion as the absorption of North China would cause the eventual collapse of Japan. Referring to the division of opinion among Japanese leaders, he said that he regarded General Araki as as much of a puppet as Pu Yi and thought that if General Araki were to die there would be no difficulty in finding another military puppet to take his place. He views those younger officers who were responsible for the conquest of Manchuria as being still a source of difficulty and danger. In this connection he said that he feels that they were responsible for the death of General Muto, Japan’s first ambassador to “Manchukuo”, Who, being “an honorable and upright man”, died as a result of the unhappiness caused him by those younger officers. He himself, he added, was brought up to believe in “honor” but that recent events—referring to the Japanese military—have made him “very pessimistic”.
Respectfully yours,