Vice-Minister [1] sent for me yesterday and gave me long message
from Matsuoka [2] asking for my assistance to his appeal that
Wilhelm Herman Solf be released from internment in Australia and
either be allowed to return to Germany or to stay in Japan for
duration. Appeal based on Matsuoka's affection for Solf's father
former German Ambassador here. [3] If granted guaranteed no
publicity here. Presume Australia will act according to British
instructions as Self received from Great Britain.

If Australia has any discretion in the matter recommend strong
recommendation for release on grounds that Matsuoka most
influential in Japanese policy, that he is very sentimental, that
he would be greatly gratified by bringing this matter off by his
personal influence whereas refusal would produce a quite
exaggerated effect.

Suggest that possibly matter might be managed as an exchanging of
a number of prisoners, publicity being suppressed on grounds of
national interest.

I suggest, however, that in the first place you should direct me
to reply that request is receiving consideration with a desire to
accede to it if possible but that difficulty of doing so has been
gravely increased by Matsuoka's determination that Japanese people
pray for German victory. British Ambassador [4] agrees with
message and has cabled London.

LATHAM