Cablegram 87 TOKYO, 15 February 1941, 1.30 p.m.
MOST SECRET
Repeated to Washington 15, London 16.
I saw Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs [1] to correct the
statement reported in my telegram No. 84. [2] He deplored messages
sent by British and United States Ambassadors [3] which he said
were alarmist and quite unfounded. Said Japan would not enter war
unless attacked or United States came in. Denied vigorously that
Japan would allow herself to be used by Germany to help some
German movement in the war. When I said that army might create
incident as on former occasions and force hand of civil government
he said 'Have we not adequate war[?]' (i.e. China). He was not
challenging in manner but conciliatory and I believe sincerely
apprehensive of further involvement of Japan in war.
My telegram 86. [4] I realize from your telegram 58 [5] that there
were good local reasons for Acting Prime Minister's public
statement re gravity of position of the East but effect here is to
increase feeling of apprehension on all sides. See last sentence
my telegram 76. [6]
LATHAM
1 Chuichi Ohashi.
2 Dispatched 14 February. It described Japanese press reports
which claimed that the majority of Australians were opposed to war
with Japan and that there had been vigorous protests in Australia
at the 'draft' of soldiers to aid the United Kingdom. See file
AA:A981, Japan 101, iii.
3 Sir Robert Craigie and J. C. Grew. Ohashi was apparently
referring in particular to the Ambassadors' instructions to their
Embassy staffs to be prepared to leave Japan at short notice. See
Latham's dispatch S-19 of 13 February in series FA:A4231, Tokyo,
1941.
4 Dispatched 15 February. It read: 'Press last night and this
morning give great prominence to reports from Sydney of special
meeting of War Cabinet and that Acting Prime Minister (A. W.
Fadden] termed situation in Far East as one of utmost gravity.'
See file AA:A981, Japan 185B, i.
5 This was a repeat to Latham of cablegram 361 to Casey quoted in
Document 296, note 5.
6 Dispatched 11 February. The paragraph read: 'British Embassy
regards situation so seriously that staff have been instructed to
be ready for emergency. I have not issued such instructions.' See
file AA:A981, Japan 185B, i.
On 22 February Latham reported that Yosuke Matsuoka, Japanese
Foreign Minister, had told Craigie that reports of troop movements
and defence preparations in Australia and elsewhere had resulted
in pressure from the Japanese Army and Navy to send more troops
south. See cablegram 95 on file AA:A981, Japan 185B, i.
[AA:A981, JAPAN 101, iii]
