[Secret]

 
From: Washington
To: Tokyo
29 September 1941
(Purple) (CA)
#867

During the morning of this, the 29th, (Monday), I called on the Secretary of State, and, in accordance with the instructions contained in your messages from 604 to 606*, I asked that I be granted a secret interview with the President. The Secretary said that because of death in his family, the President had been in Hyde Park since Thursday. Upon his return to Washington, however, he would see the President, he said and would hand me a memo of the U. S. Government within the next couple of days. He added that he read Ambassador Grew's report yesterday and thus gave evidence of being thoroughly familiar with the situation.

Hull gave indications that he too felt that immediate action was essential. At the same time, however, he seemed to think that it was of primary importance to get public opinion in Japan thoroughly unified in favor of it.

I, therefore, pointed out that though the government, the army, and the navy, were in full accord with the proposals being discussed, considerable time would have to elapse before the entire public could be made to understand them. There are those, for example, who cannot understand why the United States should meddle so deeply in Asiatic affairs when she herself constantly refers to the Monroe Doctrine and who, in actual practice, has seized the leadership of the American continents. Japanese public opinion cannot be made to conform with the every whim of the United States. To await its doing so would be like watchfully waiting for the century plant to bloom, I said.

23033
JD-1: 5592                                  (D) Navy Trans. 10-3-41 (7) 
 
*604-JD-1: 5502 (S.I.S. #22863). Toyoda-Grew talk held 1630 Sept. 27. Japs again strongly urge early action on the "leaders' conference", and directs Nomura to do everything possible to avoid further postponement. 
*605-JD-1: 5503 (S.I.S. #22864). Gist of remarks made by Toyoda to Grew. 
*606-JD-1: 5504 (S.I.S. #22819-20). Toyoda elucidates for Nomura's information various points of his talk with Grew. 

 

(EXHIBITS OF JOINT COMMITTEE , EXHIBIT NO. 1 INTERCEPTED DIPLOMATIC MESSAGES SENT BY THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT BETWEEN JULY l AND DECEMBER 8, 1941)