701.9411/1157a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan (Grew)
Washington, April 15,
1939—1 p.m.
95. Your 159, March 31, 6 p.m.,33 paragraph numbered 2, last sentence.
- 1.
- Should the Japanese Government decide to send a naval vessel to visit the San Francisco or New York exposition and should there develop in Japan a disposition to feature in connection with such a visit a purpose to express thanks for the visit of the Astoria,34 the Department suggests that in your discretion you endeavor, as opportunity presents itself, to discourage the stressing of such a purpose by your indicating that such action would, in view of the disfavor with which the American public would regard what it would consider as a political capitalizing of a courtesy gesture and an overplaying of the principle of “good will”, tend to react unfavorably upon Japanese-American relations.
- 2.
- With reference to the project mentioned in Chungking’s 217, March 28, 11 a.m.,35 for a visit by Prince Konoe to the United States, the Department feels that in view of the general state of feeling in this country toward Japan considerations against a visit of this character at the present time are of even greater weight than those which obtained in 1933 (see your 149, October 3, 2 p.m., 1933,36 and the Department’s 89, October 6, 193337). If and as this subject comes up for discussion between you and Japanese officials it is suggested that you point out that more might be expected to be accomplished toward improving the relations between the United States and Japan through action by the Japanese Government toward putting an end to violation by Japanese agencies of the rights and interests of the United States in China than through any mere explanations or assurances conveyed to the American Government and people through the medium of good-will missions or otherwise.
Hull
- Not printed.↩
- See vol. iv, pp. 455 ff.↩
- Ante, p. 152.↩
- Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931–1941, vol. i, p. 123.↩
- Ibid., p. 125.↩