U.S. Message to Japan on Pacific Relations
(October 2, 1941)
(Released to the press on December 15, 1941, as item
10 of the Annexes of the President's message to Congress on Pacific
relations.)
"Reference is made to the proposals of the Japanese
Government communicated on September 6, 1941, by the Japanese Ambassador
to the Secretary of State, and to statements relating thereto subsequently
communicated to this Government by the Japanese Government.
Thoughtful study has been given to the communications
to which reference is made, and in connection with that study careful
review has been made of other communications previously received from
the Japanese Government on the same subject. On the basis of this study
observations are offered as follows:
The Government of the United States welcomed, as affording
a possible opportunity for furthering the broad-gauge objectives and
principles of a program of peace, the Japanese Government's suggestions
made through its Ambassador here in the early part of August that there
be held a meeting of the responsible heads of the Japanese Government
and of the Government of the United States to discuss means for bringing
about an adjustment of relations between the United States and Japan
and that there be resumed the informal conversations which had been
in progress between the two countries to ascertain whether there existed
a basis for negotiations relative to a peaceful settlement covering
the entire Pacific situation.
Accordingly, in the reply made by the President on
August 17, 1941, to the Japanese Ambassador the view was expressed that
such informal conversations would naturally envisage the working out
of a progressive program attainable by peaceful means; that such a program
would involve the application in the entire Pacific area of the principle
of equality of commercial opportunity and treatment, thus making possible
access by all countries to raw materials and to all other essential
commodities, and there were described the advantages which would flow
to all countries, including Japan, from the adoption of such a program.
In conclusion, it was stated that if the Japanese Government were in
position to embark upon a peaceful program for the Pacific along the
lines of the program and principles to which the United States is committed,
this Government would be prepared to consider resumption of the informal
exploratory discussions and would be glad to endeavor to arrange a suitable
time and place to exchange views.
In the light of the broad purposes and fundamental
principles which this Government holds, it was gratifying to the President
and the Government of the United States to receive the message of the
Prime Minister and the statement of the Government of Japan on August
28,1941, containing statements expressing Japan's desire and intent
to pursue courses of peace in harmony with the fundamental principles
to which the people and Government of the United States are committed.
In its statement the Japanese Government gave, with some qualifications,
broad assurances of its peaceful intent, including a comprehensive assurance
that the Japanese Government has no intention of using without provocation
military force against any neighboring nation. The Japanese Government
declared that it supported the program and principles which had been
briefly outlined by the President not only as applicable to the Pacific
area but also as a program for the entire world.
The Government of the United States, while desiring
to proceed as rapidly as possible with consideration of arrangements
for a meeting between the heads of state, felt it desirable, in order
to assure that that meeting would accomplish the objectives in view,
to clarify the interpretation of certain principles and the practical
application thereof to concrete problems in the Pacific area. It has
not been the purpose of this Government to enter into a discussion of
details; this Government has felt, however, that the clarification sought
would afford a means of expediting our effort to arrive at a meeting
of minds.
On September 3, 1941, the President in giving reply
to the Japanese Ambassador expressed the earnest desire of the Government
of the United States to collaborate in efforts to make effective in
practice the principles to which the Japanese Government made reference.
The President reiterated the four principles regarded by this Government
as the foundation upon which relations between nations should properly
rest. Those principles are:
1. Respect for the territorial integrity and the sovereignty
of each and all nations.
2. Support of the principle of non-interference in
the internal affairs of other countries.
3. Support of the principle of equality, including
equality of commercial opportunity.
4. Non-disturbance of the status quo in the Pacific
except as the status quo may be altered by peaceful means.
The President pointed out that in order to bring about
any satisfactory settlement of Pacific questions it was highly important
to reach a community of view and a clear agreement upon certain points
with respect to which fundamental differences of opinion between our
two Governments had developed in the informal conversations; and the
President requested an indication of the present attitude of the Japanese
Government with regard to those fundamental questions.
On September 6, the Prime Minister of Japan in a conversation
with the American Ambassador at Tokyo stated that he subscribed fully
to the four principles above mentioned.
The foregoing developments and assurances, together
with other statements made by the Japanese Government, seemed to justify
this Government in concluding that the Japanese Government might be
expected to adhere to and to give practical application to a broad progressive
program covering the entire Pacific area. It was therefore a source
of disappointment to the Government of the United States that the proposals
of the Japanese Government presented by the Japanese Ambassador on September
6, 1941, which the Japanese Government apparently intended should constitute
a concrete basis for discussions, appeared to disclose divergence in
the concepts of the two Governments. That is to say, those proposals
and the subsequent explanatory statements made in regard thereto serve,
in the opinion of this Government, to narrow and restrict not only the
application of the principles upon which our informal conversations
already referred to had been based but also the various assurances given
by the Japanese Government of its desire to move along with the United
States in putting into operation a broad program looking to the establishment
and maintenance of peace and stability in the entire Pacific area.
As has already been said, the various broad assurances
given by the Japanese Premier and the Japanese Government are highly
gratifying. In putting forward its attitude of peaceful intent toward
other nations, the Japanese Government qualified its assurances with
certain phrases the need for which is not easily understood. It is difficult
to conceive of there developing under present circumstances in any of
the territories neighboring French Indo-China, in Thailand or in the
Soviet Union any aggressive threat or provocation to Japan. The inalienable
right of self-defence is of course well recognized by all nations and
there could arise in some minds a question as to just what the Japanese
Government has in view in circumscribing its assurances of peaceful
intent with what would seem to be unnecessary qualifying phrases.
In the informal conversations there was tentatively
arrived at a formula in regard to economic policy (Section V of the
draft understanding), which provided that Japanese activity and American
activity in the Pacific area shall be carried on by peaceful means and
in conformity with the principle of non-discrimination in international
commercial relations. In the Japanese Government's proposals of September
6 and in subsequent communications from the Japanese Government the
commitments contained in that formula were restricted to the countries
of the Southwest Pacific area (not the Pacific area as a whole). In
reference to China, the Japanese Government states that it will respect
the principle of non-discrimination, but the explanation given in regard
to this point would seem to be open to the implication that the Japanese
Government has in mind some limitation upon the application of this
principle occasioned by reasons of Japan's geographical propinquity
to China.
Obviously, it would not be likely to serve the purposes
affirmed by the Japanese Government or by this Government if either
the United States or Japan were to pursue one course or policy in certain
areas while at the same time pursuing an opposite course or policy in
other areas.
This Government has noted the views of the Japanese
Government in support of its desire to station troops for an indeterminate
period in certain areas of China. Entirely apart from the question of
the reasons for such a proposal, the inclusion of such a provision in
the proposed terms of a peaceful settlement between Japan and China
at a time when Japan is in military occupation of large areas in China
is open to certain objections. For example, when a country in military
occupation of territory of another country proposes to the second country
the continued stationing of troops of the first country in certain areas
as a condition for a peaceful settlement and thus for the withdrawal
of the occupationary forces from other areas, such procedure would seem
to be out of keeping with the progressive and enlightened courses and
principles which were discussed in the informal conversations and thus
would not, in the opinion of this Government, make for peace or offer
prospects of stability.
It is believed that a clear-cut manifestation of Japan's
intention in regard to the withdrawal of Japanese troops from China
and French Indochina would be most helpful in making known--in particular
to those who might be inclined to be critical--Japan's peaceful intentions
and Japan's desire to follow courses calculated to establish a sound
basis for future stability and progress in the Pacific area.
With reference to the attitude of each country toward
the European war, this Government has noted with appreciation the further
step taken by the Japanese Government to meet the difficulties inherent
in this aspect of the relations between the two countries. It is believed
that it would be helpful if the Japanese Government could give further
study to the question of possible additional clarification of its position.
In the exchanges of views which have taken place between
the two Governments in an effort to reach an agreement in principle
upon fundamental questions in order to prepare the ground for the proposed
meeting of the responsible chiefs of government, this Government has
endeavored to make clear that what it envisages is a comprehensive program
calling for the application uniformly to the entire Pacific area of
liberal and progressive principles. From what the Japanese Government
has so far indicated in regard to its purposes this Government derives
the impression that the Japanese Government has in mind a program which
would be circumscribed by the imposition of qualifications and exceptions
to the actual application of those principles.
If this impression is correct, can the Japanese Government
feel that a meeting between the responsible heads of government under
such circumstances would be likely to contribute to the advancement
of the high purposes which we have mutually had in mind?
As already stated, this Government welcomed the assurances
contained in the statement of the Japanese Government which accompanied
the Japanese Prime Minister's message to the President of the United
States that the Japanese Government subscribed to the principles which
have long been advocated by this Government as the only sound basis
for stable international relations. This Government believes that renewed
consideration of these fundamental principles may be helpful in our
effort to seek a meeting of minds in regard to the essential questions
on which we seek agreement and thus lay a firm foundation for a meeting
between the responsible heads of the two Governments. The subject of
the meeting proposed by the Prime Minister and the objectives sought
have engaged, and continue to engage, the close and active interest
of the President of the United States, and it is the President's earnest
hope that discussion of the fundamental questions may be so developed
that such a meeting can be held. It is also the President's hope that
the Japanese Government shares the conviction of this Government that,
if the Governments of Japan and of the United States are resolved to
give those principles practical and comprehensive application, the two
Governments can work out a fundamental rehabilitation of the relations
between the United States and Japan and contribute to the bringing about
of a lasting peace with justice, equity and order in the whole Pacific
area.
Sources: ibiblio |