Office of the Historian

894.00/1022: Telegram

The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State

Tokyo, April 9, 1941—8 p.m.
[Received April 9—1:50 p.m.]

525. Tonight’s vernaculars report Baron Hiranuma’s address to the Conference of Prefectural Governors today. After commenting on Japan’s progress in establishing the East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere, mentioning specifically the China–Manchuria–Japan treaty82 and mediation of the Thailand–Indochina dispute, the Baron pointed out China’s continued resistance and British-American efforts to blockade Japan economically and increase aid to Chiang Kai-shek. He is quoted: [Page 132]

“A situation is developing in which a new grave crisis may break out in East Asia at any time. Japan faces the greatest difficulties of her entire history, but it is her mission to effect construction of a new world order and permanent peace in East Asia.”

Grew
  1. Outgrowth of declaration signed at Nanking, November 30, 1940, Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931–1941, vol. ii, p. 122.↩