762.94/92: Telegram
The Chargé in Japan (Dickover) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 23—10:35 a.m.]
238. Embassy’s 237, November 20, 5 p.m.12
- 1.
- The Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs asked me to call on him this
afternoon. He stated that at the last general meeting of the
Comintern, Japan, Germany and the United States had been specified
as countries against which Communist activities should be directed.
Japan has always been opposed to Communism and has consistently
fought the spread of Communism within Japan. But now that Comintern
activities have become international in scope the Japanese
Government considered that defense against those activities should
be international in character especially in view of the fact the
recent activities of the Comintern do not appear to be directed as
much against Europe as against Asia especially China, Manchuria and
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India. The Vice
Minister then said that because of the above facts the Japanese
Government has been holding conversations with the German Government
for some time past and has arrived at an agreement which will
probably be concluded and made public some time this week. The Vice
Minister gave me the following summary of the agreement:
“The agreement provides for the exchange of information regarding Comintern activities, consultation on defensive measures as well as for extending joint invitations to third powers. There is a supplementary protocol embodying concrete provisions concerning the execution of the above mentioned agreement; the protocol contains stipulations regarding the manner of cooperation between the authorities of the two high contracting parties, the measures to be taken vis-à-vis those persons connected with the Comintern and the formation of a standing committee”.
- 2.
- The Vice Minister further said that the agreement was not directed toward any particular power and that Japan had no intention of being drawn by the agreement into European politics or of joining any bloc of nations such as a fascist bloc.
- 3.
- I stated that there were rumors in Tokyo to the effect that the agreement would include a secret military or trade arrangement. The Vice Minister stated definitely that the agreement was not an alliance and would not include secret military or economic arrangements of any kind. He said that the entire agreement including the supplementary protocol would be made public.
- 4.
- The Vice Minister said that the above information was being given today only to the British and American Governments; to the British because questions had been asked in the House of Commons and to the American because the Japanese Government valued our friendship and did not wish any misunderstanding. He therefore desired that this information be considered as strictly confidential for the present. He added that he would give me the full text of the agreement before it was published.
- Not printed.↩