793.94/7441: Telegram
The Chargé in Japan (Neville) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 27—7:50 a.m.]
219. 1. The announcement of the creation of the autonomous state in the demilitarized zone has not aroused much attention or enthusiasm in Japan. Some observers believe that the autonomous state was created on the insistence of the Japanese military partly because they hope that the autonomy movement will spread to other parts of North China and partly to save face with the Japanese people after they had been outmaneuvered by Chiang Kai-shek in their attempts to create the five-province autonomous state.
2. The vernacular newspapers state that the Foreign Office does not welcome the forthcoming visit of C. T. Wang55 to Japan and report the Foreign Office attitude as follows:
- (a)
- The appropriate authorities are already negotiating in Nanking and Tokyo in regard to Sino-Japanese relations and therefore Wang’s visit will be of little avail in adjusting such relations.
- (b)
- Wang is considered to be very anti-Japanese and consequently he is the worst person next to Chang Hsueh-liang to send to Japan on such a mission.
- (c)
- The fact that Wang is traveling to Japan on the ship with Vice President Garner and the Congressional party56 inclines the Foreign Office to believe that his real purpose may be to endeavor to enlist American aid against Japanese pressure in China.
- (d)
- Therefore the Foreign Office cannot respond to any proposals which Wang may make.
3. While the above may contain some newspaper embellishment it is believed to reflect to a certain extent the views of the Foreign Office at least as expressed by Amau.
Repeated to Peiping.