Augutt l?. 1941 

Subj•o': United Stat11-Japan11e Relatlon1 

Partio1panta: the Preaident, Seoretar7 or State Bull and the 

Japan••• Aabaa1aclor. Ad.a1ral 11oh11aburo BolllUJ"a. 

The Ambatsador ot Je.:pan celled to tee the President at the 

latter•a request. rollowing some few excbange1 ot prelim1nar7 

remarlce. the President then becaae 1erioue and proceeded to refer 

to the strained relations between our two co1111trie1. Re referred 

to the Ambassador'• Ttait to •• and the latter'• requ•st for a reopening of the conver1ation1 between our two Governments. The 

PrH14ent conented brietl7 011. the policies and principles th8t thia 

Government ha• been 1tand1n~ tor in its relation• with J8pan, and he 

made 1ome contrast to Japan'• opposite course or conquest b7 force, 

et cetera. Re concluded by teL)"1ng th~t our attitude or opposition 

to Jape.n•s courH has been. mad.e well knovn. and that the next llOTe 

18 now up to Japan. !he Preddent inquired of the Ambassador if he 

had &117thing in mind to •8:T in connection with the situation. Thereupon the .Amb~asador drew out of his pocket an instruction vhich he 

s~id was from his Government. in which the Japaneae Goverllll\ent set 

forth some generalitie1 and asserted Ter7 earnestly that it desired 

to see peacetul relations preserved between our two countries; thst 

Declassified and approved for release by NSA on 11-07-2013 pursuant to E .0. 1352\3 
REF ID:A485508 

Prince Kono79 feela 10 1eriou1l7 and 10 earne1tl7 about preael'Ting such 

relation• that he would 'be ditpoeed to ••t the Prealcleut aldvq, 

geographicall1' apeeldng, betve11n our tvo ooun.tr1ea and 11' down to••ther 

and talk the matter out in • p11aoetul apirit. 

The President thereupon 1aid that th11 Qoyerzuaent ehould really 

bring the matters between the two GoYernaenta ltterall1' up to date and 

th 

that he would, therefore, otter certain obttrTat1ont about the po11t1on 

ot th1• GoTernmen.t; he added tht-t.t h• regretted the neceas1t7 of so d.o1ng 

but that he bad RO other recourse. !he Pret1dent aa1d he had 4ictated 

what lut was about to 1q and that he vov.ld :read 1 t to the .Aaba11ador and 

then hand hta the wr1•tea in1trull9nt contalntng the oral conTer1atton. 

Thi• the President prooee4ed to 4o a1 tollove: 

"During paat aonthe ti. G01'eruenta of the Un1te4 Sta'•• and 

ot Japan, throuch the Secretu7 of State and the Ja_paneH A11ba11ador 

ta Washington, 1-•• •Agaged 1n protracted oonTerea\ion• directe4 

toward exploriac the po1eibilit7 of reaobin.g a aound ba111 for 

negot1at1one between the two oountrie1 relative to the aaintenaaee 

ot peace with order and Juatice in the Pacific. ~he principl•• and 

policies which were under d11cuasion 1n tbe1e converaationa pre- olud.ed purau1t b7 either GoTermaent of objecttTea of expana1on b7 

force or bJ' \breat of force. 

"On Jul.7 24 lut the President of the United State• i.nronaed 

the Japaneae Go?ernaent through the Jape.nHe Aakasador la waah1ngton 

that he wa.1 rilling to suggest to the GOTernunt• of Gnat .Britain, 

ot the letherland• and ot China that the7 118.ke a binding and solemu 

4eolarat1on that tht1 had no accrese1v• intentions with regard to 

ln.4o-Oh1nt. ed 'hRt the7 would agree that the market• and raw 

materials ot Indochina should be aTa1lable to all Power• on equal 

teraa. The Pree14•nt ets.t•d. further thr t he would be willing to 

suggest to \be Powers me11:Uoned that they undertake thia declaration, 

in which the t1n1te4 States would be willing to Jola, upon the understanding that the Go•ernmant of JapElll vould be d1spo11d to make a 

s1a1lar dtolaraUon and would be turther di1po1ed to withdraw 1t• 

a11Uarr end a&Tal torces troa Indochina. 

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REF ID:A485508 

<' / 

"lo,withstandinflt thete ettorta, the Govenunent of' Japan 

ha.a continued Us •11UE1'1 ~t1YU1et end ita dhpoaela ot 

armed tore•• at 'f'ar1oue potnt• 1n the rar 'Int end lute occupied. 

lnd.ochbi. wUh it• •1llb.ry, a.tr e.nd naTal torcee. 

1fhe GoTermunt ot thfl tJnUed Std•• ie in tull 1711pathJ' ~uh the de11re expreued. ~ the Jape.n•H Gcwernment thllt there 

be proTSded a fretb basis tor 1U1ioable and SDtuall7 protl•able 

r•lationt between our two ooUDtrl••· Thie Ooyermnent'• pat1enoe 

in aeek:lng an ecc•p\able be.th tor tuch ea underrist:anding bu 

been d .. onatra••4 \\me and again d.urin~ recent 19ara and e1peciallr 

dui-1ng recent aonthe. !hia Go"8nament feel• at the pre1ent 1tage 

tha.t nothing short of the iaod co•plete candor on. 1'1 :pari, in the 

light of e't'idence aud ind1cat1on• which come to it fro• 118.117 

sources. will at th1• moment t•n4 to further the objectl••• 1ougbt. 

''Sllch being the ce.ae, thh Gnermunt now tincla it neoeHa.17 

to •87 ,0 th• GOTeruent o·t Ja}!~!l uu~t 1t the JAf)AllH9 tlove:rmnent 

take• aDJ' further 1\epa in rursu,ance of a pol1c7 or nrogrem ot 

11ilUal'J' do11d.n~tion b7 for 1ae or threat of toroe ot' neighboring 

cou.ntriea, the Go•e~nment or the trni\ed State• will be coapelle4 

to take lamedS..t•lT &117 ~nd all step• which it •fl.J' deem neo111ar7 

toward eategu,ardtng the legitt•ate right• and interests ot th• 

Un1'•4 Sta:ha and aerioan natioMls and toward insuring the aatet1 

and 1ecurit7 ot the United Statea.~ 

The President, ~.tter some little dela7 1n the conYeraat1on ao as to 

set a.pa.rt the first •ta.tement \1l'hich he :read to the .~baaaador. then })rt>-

cHded to turn. ~o the Ambuaador' s request to the Secretary ot State e.ncl 

to h1a1elt for ~l reeuaptlon of the convex-sa.t1ona. inte l?:reaident mad• 

fvther rete~enoea to Je:pan' 1 oppoatnc CO'lll"H of conquest bf foro• and 

bi,ter denunciet1on of thia 00UJ1t17 b7 'he Japan••• Goverrunen\-controlle4 

pr••• ud then co11lnc to the raqUeet tor a. reopening ot the converaa'1on1 

he repeated. our former statements to the Japrui••• GoYermne.r.it tnat, of 

cour••• we could not think ot :reopen1n~ the converea\ion1 it the Ja, 0an&1e 

Govern.men' 1a to con\1nv.e 1te present movement of force and conquea' 

-3-
REF ID:A485508 

!hereupon 'h• Preetd.eat proceede4 to red to the AaltaHad.or the 

following atateaeat, vhloh lt eell-explanatoJ'1: 

•aeteren.ce 1• made to tbe qU11\toa which the Jap$n••• 

.4a'ba11a4or ra1l14 on .tupst 8 duiac a connna\ion with the 

Seor•\&J7 ot Stat• vh9\her 1t •1cht aot be po111~l• tor tbe 

reapone1ble h•acl• ot the Japan••• GoYernaent and the Go.era- .. nt ot the Un1te4 State• to meet with a Tl•~ to d11ou1ainc 

••an• wh•r•'bJ' a.a a4Ju.1\•ent• ta relatloa1 between the Unl\414 

S\ate1 aacl lapPa •1cht 'be 'brough\ a'bo11.t. The \hought of 

Prtuce Kouo79 and of the Japaaeee GoT•l'IPl•nt in otf e~ing tb1e 

•ucce•tloa 1• appreclattd.. 

•aetereno• ta made also to the deatr• expr••••4 b7 the 

Japan••• a~a11&dor d.\lrlag a call oa \he S•ontarr ot s'ate 

oa Augutt 18 •hat there t.• nsued \he S.atorael couer1at1ont 

wb.lch ba.4 1Hten 1n progrl11 between thl two GoYerueat• towa.r4 

atoerta1atnc vhet~•r \here ex1a\e4 a •••1• tor necottatioaa 

relatlft to a ;peaoef'lll 1ettl•••nt oo••r1ng the entire Pacitl.c 

tUutloa. 

•When 'he Japan••• Mll·a11ador brought up 'hH• &\'&IC••t1ona, 

the SecretaJ"7 of State rea1:ndtd the Aabauador tha' tbe Gowrn, ... 

.. nt of the Un1t•4 St•t•• had shoWJl creat pa.tl•ace and ha4 \een 

prepare4 to cont1nu.e in thet course ot patience 10 long a• the 

Japan••• Govermsent un1te1ted a deBir• to tollow cour••• ot 

peace. It wa• pointed out \o th• Aaba11ador '11at while pro .. 

cee41n1 along thi• court• th1• Governa••t had reo•1••4 repol"\e 

indicating cl•U'17 that the Japanete Goumaeit va• adopting 

cour••• dtrectl7 the opposite ot those o~ which the recent con-

••rea\1one between the Aabaatador and the Secretar1 ot State 

had been pred.loahd. It wet po1n.ted out alto that the Jape.nese 

pr••• vat betng conetantl7 st1aulate4 to tpeall: of enc1rcl .. •nt of 

Japan b7 the Un1te4 States and vaa belnc oftlo1al17 1aap1re4 1n 

•&78 ca.tculate4 to intlue public oplaion. !he Seoretar7 10f 

S'•'• ma4• it clear that he did not ••• how coD.Yeraatioat betven 

the two GoTermaeatt could 111ef1lll7 be 'PUl'tue4 or propo1al1 be 

41101111•4 vh1l• Japan••• official apok••••n and the Japlll81• 

pre11 con.,ended \hat tht Un.Ued State• wa1 end.•a•ortng to encircle 

Ja·pan and ca.rr1e4 on a cupaip. ep.1n.at the t1nltd Sta.tea. 

•an two oooaelon.e otficere ot the »epartment of State. 

pa.rauant to 1n1tructiona from the Secretary ot Stat•. calle4 on 

the Japanese .Aabal1a4or to indicate concern over the repor\a 

that Japau in\eadecl \o acquire b7 tore• or threat ot toroe 

•1litar1 ad u•al basea ta french l:nd.och1na. Sub1equnu1, on 
REF ID:A485508 

Jul.J 21 and J11l7 23 the .Ac:Ung Secretaq of Stat• railed with 

th• Ja: .. ;&n••• Min1tter and witb the Japan••• .Aal»aH&d.or 'bl 

quaat1oa ot Japan'• iatentlon• vitb r1car4 to 1renoh 1n4ooh1na 

and :po1at1d out 'hat the lo't'H'••n• of the t1n114 8\a.t•• could. 

onl7 ats\1118 that the oocupa•loa b7 Jape.a ot rrench In4och1aa 

or the acqu111t1oa ot •llitafT &114 n&Yal b&••• ta that area coneU tut•4 not tee to the Unltl4 Stat•• t•t Jape a had. takea lt7 

toreetul •an• a etep prepan.lol")" to eabarktng on tur.iie..-OT1aen.t1 

ot conqu1t ia the South Pn1tic area. !hi .Actinc Seoretar7 

pointed out futher that thit uw aoYt oa Japu'• part vu 

preJud1cial to \he proclll'•aen' b7 'h• Ualt•4 8tatea ot ••••nt1al 

rav a\er1ala encl \o the peace of the Pacitlo, 1nelu.cl1Jll tu 

Ph1llpp1ne lalaada. 

~!he OoTermaent ot t~ Uult•d Stat•• accordtnclr had no 

alteruati" bu\ to in.fora tbe Japaaeae a'butador ·Uiat, ln \he 

opt.Aton ot th11 Go•eruen\. the aeann1 the• being taken. 'b7 

\he Ja:pe.n••• Ooveruea\ had Hnect \o r .. o .. the 'bub tor 

further conTeraatloa• re1at1•• \o a peaceful uttl•••' 1a the 

Pacific area. 

'lntorul d1.ecu111on.1 "be\weeu the Ja.panHe Go•eruent and 

the GoYel'mllen\ or \he United S'•'•• 41reote4 'owal'd aecertainillC 

whether tber• existed a •••1• tor negot1at1ons relati•• to a 

peaceful settlement co'f'er'iDC the entire Pec1tlc tituaUon would. 

nature.111' eui•ac• th• worldq out ot a progr•111-re procraa 

attainable b1' peaceful 8fl\hodl • It Co91 Without tqiDC that JlO 

propotala or eucgeation1 ettect1nc the right• and priYil•ce• ot 

either the Un1te4 Stat•• or Japan would be considered except a1 

\he7 aigb\ be bl coaforait7 with the baste principle• to which 

th• Unit el Sta\et has long been coaUted. !he prograa enilageA 

ln. such in.tonal d11cu.11iin1 would i.nvoln tbe appltcatlon in 'he 

entire f'acU1.c area of the principle of •qual.1tf of coaerc1al 

opportun1t7 and treataent. 1 t would tbu• 118.ke poadbl• aoch• la 

all countrS.H to rav aa.tertale and to ell o'h•r ••••ntial coao41tle1. 

Such a prograa wo11.ld envtaaae ooop1ra,1on b7 all as:U.0111 of the 

Pacific on a 't0lunte.r1 and peaceful basis toward ut1l111ag all 

&Tailable reaourc•• of capital, technical •kill, and procr••t1Te 

eooaoa1c ltaderabip for the ~Oii purpoH of l>uild1ng up 114 oal.7 

their own tcoaoatea but alto the ecoao•1•• ot regions vhere productl•• oapacU7 caa be blproTtd.. The result vould 'be to tncr1u1 

the purchaeing power ot the aatione and people• coJLCerne4, to ralae 

1\a114&rd1 ot l1YiDC, and ~ereat• c0Bdit10J&1 .t.x cozul\\o1Ye \o the 

u1ntenanoe ot peaoe. JI •uoh a procru 'ba1e4 upoa peaeea'bl• ad 

oon1truc•1.,. pr1no1pl•• were to be ad.opted tor the Pacitio and 1t 

\hereafter a111 of the co11Dtr1•• or areae w1th1a the Pac1t1o were 

me.naoe4, the policy of a.idin& ution• reai9'1ng -cue11lon wou.14 

contlzme to be followed. by •hi• Gonruent ad. thil Gon~ent 

-5-
REF ID:A485508 

would. cooperate with other utloaa ia esten.dln.1 aaabtance to 

&"41 countr,- tlu'eatene4. 

•under •uch a progra• for \he Pacific aria Japan woul4, 

in the op1n1oa of the GoY•l"DIMI•' of the l1nUld Sta'••· attaia 

all the obJect1Ye• vhioh Japan attlrae that it 1• •••king. 

!b.1• pl"Ograa would aot enable 07 oout17 to e%tend Ua 

•1lltal"7 or pol1t1cal control o••r other peoples or to obtain 

eoonoa1o r1gbta ot a dttinit•lJ aoaopollttic or preterent1al 

character. ln 1ihoae oaaet where the prod•ctioa and d.1atr1but1oa 

of e11ent1al cowaodtt1e1 are •••t•4 la .. aopolie•. tbe GoTermaent 

of the t1n1ted Stat•• vould expect to uae 1\t 1Jlfl11ence to ••• 

that all coutr1•• are g1.Tea a fair •hare ot the d.1str1but1on of tbe 

prod.uct• ot euch aoaopoU•• ud at a talr prtoe. 

•la the Japaneae Go1'ermaent 11 •••klag what 1' atf 1ra1 to be 

1t1 obJeati•••• the Go•eraaent of th• Uaite4 Stat•• t•el1 that the 

procrea abo.,. ou'11n•4 111 one •ha\ oaa be oou\eA upon to aHv• 

Japa• 1a,l1fao\ion of l\ll eooaoa1c ... ,, an.4 l•c1t1aate a1ptratton1 

vith auch grea\er c•rtaint7 thaa oo•ld aa1 other prograa. 

•tn ca•• t'.ba Japaaeue Go•er ... at feel• that Japan de1ir11 Nl4 

11 iA po11t1on 'o tutpaad 1tl esp.a41o•1•\ act1Y1t1••• ~o J"ea4Jutt\ 

U1 poe1t1on., ad to ••luU'k upoa a peaoeftll prov&11-ln-a tor the 

Pao1t1c alone the lin•• ot th• procr .. and pr1ncipl•• to which the 

United Stat•• 11 ooll\91tte4, \be GoTernaeat of tbe tJn1te4 Btatea 

would be prepared to con114er re1uapt1on ot the 1ator .. 1 exploratorJ 

411cu1sion1 which were 1111tenup\ac1 1a Jul.7 and wld. be gla4 to 

elldeaTor 'lo arrange a au:l table t l•• anc1. place to excbanc• •l•w•. 

!be GoTeraunt ot the 11nUe4 Sta.tea, h<Mwer, feel• that, 1n Ti•w 

of the c1rcura1tl.'A0•1 alt•ndtnc the interruption of the 1ntoraal 

00D.Ter1at1on1 betwetn tbt two Go,..rnaenta, it vould be helpful to 

both GoTernaent1, betore uadertakia& a reeuaptioD ot 1uch oon••r1atlon1 or procttding wi\h pla.na for a •••'inc, if th• Japan••• 

loTenmtn.t would. be 10 good a• to turailh a clearer ttate•:nt tha.\ 

ia.1 7•t beea fura1ahed. at to tt• pre1•nt attitude an4 plan•. Jutt 

a• thta GoTerzraent bat repeate4l1 out11nt4 to the Japaaeae Gf>yeraMat it• attUud.t and plan.1. 1 

!he Aabataador rece1Te4 eaoh paper ln vritia~ and ta14 be would 

coJUIWl1cate w44 both to ht• Qovermaent. le reiterated troa ti•• to t11lt 

that h11 Go .... rl'llll.ent waa ••rt deeiroua of pre1tl"T1ng peaceful relatlont 

lM\veen the two countriet en.d he took no line w1 th the Pre11de:n.t 

r•lat1•• to the reaaons set forth by thie GoYernment for 41scont1nu1ng 

conTersation1 vith Japan.