Kurusu [2] telephoned last night November 29th and I had an hour
with him and the Japanese Ambassador [3] privately at the Japanese
Embassy this morning on his invitation. I consulted the British
Ambassador [4] first who agreed that such a conversation was worth
while. I did not receive the Prime Minister's unnumbered telegram
until after the above. [5]

In the course of our telephone conversation on November 28th, you
emphasised your wish that some means be found to prevent the
complete breakdown of Hull [6]-Kurusu conversations, and that I
should do anything and everything in my power to this end.

Although neither Japan nor the United States have stated publicly
that the conversations have broken down, they have in fact done so
unless some extraordinary means can be evolved to revive them.

This is reflected in the Secretary of State's statement to me
which I have reported to you and it is perfectly clear to me that
the Secretary of State has said his last word and that he will not
on his own initiative reopen the conversations. The British
Ambassador has had no instructions that would enable him to make
an approach to the Japanese here, so that, as it appeared to me, I
was the only person who might possibly be able to reawaken contact
between the principal parties and although this involved a certain
risk, I believed I should do so.

My talk was with Kurusu principally, the Japanese Ambassador only
joining us towards the end.

In the course of the conversation I based myself principally on
the line that I suggested to you in my telegram 1053. [7] Kurusu
was very friendly and informal and showed every desire for a
peaceful solution. He deprecated the belligerent speeches of
Japanese statesmen and minimized Japan's Axis connection. He
laughed at the statements by Japanese politicians of the
'encirclement' of Japan by the Americans and British.

He blamed China for the virtual breakdown in the conversations
with the United States and said that the present situation
appeared to mean that the issue of peace or war in the Pacific
rested solely in the hands of China. I suggested that an important
factor in addition to China's attitude lay in the fact that during
the actual course of conversations between himself and the
Secretary of State, Japan had been formidably increasing her
forces in Southern Indo-China. Kurusu professed ignorance of this.

However, reverting to China as a factor in the present situation,
I said that it must be clear to every one that American public
opinion towards China made it impossible for American
administration to come to [an arrangement] with Japan under which
it appeared that China was sacrificed. Kurusu acknowledged this by
saying that from the point of view of Japanese public opinion it
was equally impossible for Japanese Government to come to an
arrangement which inter alia gave one hundred per cent
satisfaction to China. He reverted to this argument several times.

I made my position quite clear, that I had no mandate from either
Americans or British, but I repeated that if Kurusu had any
proposal to make that, as an intermediary, I could pass on to the
Secretary of State that had any possibility of getting
conversations resumed, I would gladly do so.

Kurusu had no proposal to make other than that discussions on the
limited Japanese proposal should be resumed. I made no comment on
this but I am to see the Secretary of State in a few hours and
will recount the whole of the conversation to him.

In the course of discussion Kurusu asked if I thought that any
useful purpose would be served by him seeing the British
Ambassador. I have told this to the British Ambassador who asked
me to ask the Secretary of State what he considers. Kurusu has had
no reply from Japanese Government to United States' memorandum on
basic principles. British Ambassador does not believe that he
(Kurusu) will get any reply.

I am afraid my effort in seeing Kurusu was without result, but I
will now do my best with Secretary of State.

I agreed with Kurusu and Japanese Ambassador that our conversation
should be private and should have no publicity whatsoever.

CASEY