[Secret]
 
From: Tokyo
To: Washington
29 November 1941
(Purple—CA)
#857

 

Re my #844*

 

We wish you would make one more attempt verbally along the following lines:

 

The United States government has (always?) taken a fair and judicial position and has formulated its policies after full consideration of the claims of both sides.

 

However, the Imperial Government is at a loss to understand why it has now taken the attitude that the new proposals we have made cannot be made the basis of discussion, but instead has made new proposals which ignore actual conditions in East Asia and would greatly injure the prestige of the Imperial Government.

 

With such a change of front in their attitude toward the China problem, what has become of the basic objectives that the U. S. government has made the basis of our negotiations during these seven months? On these points we would request careful self-reflection on the part of the United States government.

 

(In carrying out this instruction, please be careful that this does not lead to anything like a breaking off of negotiations.)

 
25496
JD-1: 6921                           (F) Navy trans. 30 Nov. 1941 (S-TT)
 
*JD-1: 6898 (S.I.S. 25445) dated 28 Nov., in which Tokyo's first reaction to the new U. S. proposals castigates them as humiliating. When Japan sends a reply in 2 or 3 days giving its views on them the negotiations will be 'de facto' ruptured. However, do not give the impression that negotiations are broken off.
 

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