793.94/6888: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 2—5:38 a.m.]
43. In the course of my talk with the Minister for Foreign Affairs this morning he brought up on his own initiative the subject of Sino-Japanese relations and talked at considerable length along the following [Page 68] lines. Since the first of the present year the Chinese Government has awakened to the prime importance of developing better relations with Japan. The recent conversations in Nanking have been confined to efforts to improve the general atmosphere by reducing anti-Japanese sentiment and agitation. No concrete negotiations whatever have been undertaken. The Minister feels that improved relations between Japan, China and Soviet Russia are the primary desiderata which will eventually lead to the solution of the naval and other problems and he is, therefore, concentrating his efforts in that direction. After the Diet adjourns he expects to call Ariyoshi to Tokyo to consider this whole question. Hirota is convinced of the desire of the authorities in Nanking to cooperate. He referred to China’s financial difficulties as one of the principal stumbling blocks to improvement and he observed that these difficulties concern other nations also. He said that his efforts to construct a solid basis for peace in East Asia must necessarily work out slowly and step by step and in the meantime he hoped for the confidence of other powers. He said that the foreign press, particularly certain newspapers in London, were constantly publishing erroneous reports and insinuations and he, therefore, wished me to know the facts as he had set them forth.
As for Soviet Russia Hirota hopes that the agreement for the sale of the Chinese Eastern Railway can be signed before the end of the present session of the Diet and that other pending problems can then be approached and readily solved.
Repeated to Peiping.