(Translat i on)
(Strictly Confidential)
TeleGram Despatched by Ambassador
Su~imura and Ad<ires3ed to Foreign
~!i.nister Sato, Dated l!ay 25, 1937,
Arriving at the Japanese 1'~oreign
Office on iiay 26 . - ~io . 89
(1) On reccivin~ your tol cgr 'Ull :!o . 109 w:1ich was des!)atchod
in answer to my telegram report }lv . 194 of last :Jecenb<:ir, I conv0~,red
the import of your instructions to I i;alian Forei gn i.:..i.nister Ciano .
He, on that occasion, pointed oct th~ ::;~cone articl e of the JapanescGerman Anti-Co;.rl.ntern Pact, a:1d talked sus!)iciously of Japan's attitudes .
,
I explained, in r epl y , that t11ero 'ms no urgent neJd of concluding a Japanese-Italian anti-Comi ntern pAct , and t hat, in consideration of the pr esent f riendly r e lations bctwoen Japan and Italy, ~eces­
sary co-operation can bo o0tain;:;d oven i f there be no written pact,
which could be concluded at an:r time if necessary. Further I sug~ested,
in order to appease him, that it :.s ri1ht and proper to accomp~ish, before everything , -.,he worl: of cultur..il cxchan~o , then form some economical convention between ~rapan and Italy and lastl y proceed to the conclusion of a political ?act.
From that time onward, I c:iutfously avoided to comrnit myself
to it, mal:ing suitable answers from th0 viewpoint I ex?rcsscd in ny tcloBram mossa3es Nos . 55 and 63 r os:>0 cti voly \'1honevor the Italian Foreign
Uinister inten~itt~ntly referred to the problem in question .
( 2) For all, that , Ciano made an address at the Parliauent on
l!ay 13 t o the effect that Japan a1ci :rtaly stand on a common standpoint
in defending themselves against t '.1e :"\.:mace of the Comintern. An address
to the same effect was again r cpe:at eci t hat evening on the occasion of
the farewell din.1er given in my honour unrlor the auspices of the Italian
Foreign Uinistcr .
After the dinner , Ciano r ovealed to l'tC the desir e on the part
of Italy to conclude an anti-Comintcrn :)ac:, with Ja:»n· He said he had
been per suading hi~self to abstain from proposing to conclude an anti Conintcrn pact vdth ,Japan because ho trusted i.le, and that it was desirable to mako the understandin3 cl ear in written form on the occasion
of ny leaving Rome. He added furthor t hat he considered it was high
time to conclude a political pact since the \"ork of cultura l exchange
was proceeding smoothly ond the com1nercial convention , too, was on the
threshold of being concluded.
I avoided to 3ive an ifnqedinte answer and put an end ti:> the
conversation with a r emark to ask for tfr1e to deliberate on the matter .
(3) The ?ivot of the anti-Cot~intern activity, in my own conceit, i s the Ja?anese-Oerman Pact. Tho Ja~)anese-Italian co-operat ion
is simply of complementary nature .
To deliberate on the eX?Qcted effect of tho Japanese-Italian
co- operation, it is chiefly when we deal with the <>ovict Union that
Ital }" s co-oper ation is expe cted to he of some use from our standpoint,
enabling us, for instance , to c'emand Italy to s top to ::>rovide the Soviet
Union with arms .
As for Italy, she is possibly takin~ tho solidality a~ainst
Britain into account, besides tha+, againsttho Soviet Union . Granting
,
PURL: http://www.legal-tools.org/doc/076415/
• J.of. Doc. llo. 1428
that Italy actually has no intention to mako the most of the anti-Comintern
pact in ~arrying out her policy towards Britain, the realization of closer
r elations betVleen Japan and Italy would stimulate Britain all the same,
just as it was the case with the Japanese-German Pact. The point is how
to find out a way to attain our purpose, vdth such secondary effect checked
within the least extent.
(4) I hear that Japan and Pritnin are now in negotiation, ~tlth
the object of readjusting their mutual int,erestf;. It goes without s11~"1ne
then that the rn.:srocheraent between Japan and Italy must not stand in the
way of the Anglo a,anese-rie~otiat ion .
·
?.foreover, Italy is prono to turn hr.;r coat, though she has become a l i ttlo trus tworthy s ince ' 'ussolini hold the reins of )m•1cr . In
view of th~s danger, I hesitate to conclude a strict engagement vrith Italy.
Tho friendly relations with Italy should not be cultivated t hrough such
im~onvonient form as a wri tt:'.}n -:>act, but it is consider ed proper to seek
them through freer, core elastic overyday diplomatic efforts. That is to
say, the co-operation of Italy ou:~1t to be sought when the interests of
tho both nations agree , throu1h the mutual cont~ct of the Japanese Ambassador and the Italian Premier or Foreign r;inister.
There.fore, i t is r.iy advice that you should l~ t the new Ambassador to Italy take your letter, addressed to the Italian Forei gn Minister,
to celebrate the improvement of the friendly relations between Japan and
Italy, point out the corrunon standpoint on which the tVfo nations stand, and ·
further, if possible, tell hin that Japan has a desire or intention to
co-opGrate with Italy when necessAry in the future. (I mean by 11 co-opcrate 11
hero to ·co- opcrate on principle, a~d not to co-operate for 9olico or military '.)urpose . It would be qui.te ne cessary, when negotiations are ·opened
for 1aor c substantial co-operation, to make searching inquiries in Italyt s
political relations with the League of ~ations, the Soviet Union, Germany,
Britain and F'.rance respectively.) With this as a start, it i~ ~o"lsiderod
proper, the new Ambassador should ·1o~otiate directly with the .lta.:..1an
Foreign Hinister in a similar way as I have taken .
·
In short, it is my bel ief that the tiJllc is not yet ripe for the
conclusion of a Japanese-Italian pact or for the publication of a Ja?ancseItalian joint statcnent concerning the anti-C omintern question~ Ho\1evcr,
Italyt s attitudes. being as reported above, my l eaving the -:>ost without
oaking any reply to her proposal would disappoint h,1r and cause her mis- .
understand Japan's motives . The S".XJCial fayour sho\m by the Italian airforco now towards Japan, for i nstance , could l" O lo:'lgcr be expected on that
occasion. Horcovor, it is feared that Japan's r equest for co-09cration ·
might possibly be r ejected when it. is actually needed •
. So far is my hU!!lble opinion as to tho measures to maintain tho
f riendly relations with Italy while avoiding to be engrossed in it. I
should bo very much obliged i f you nould r eveal your views of it even in
outline .
PURL: http://www.legal-tools.org/doc/076415/
·.cf ' Doc. Ho. 1428
C ERT IFICATE
Stater.1ent of Source and AutbPnticity
I, HAYASHI, Katru: Chi.Ji' of t ho Archives Section, Jnpanoso
Foreign Office, l'\or ::lby certify t hat the documont horoto attached in
Japanese consinti:lg of
5
p3ges a'.'ld <mtitl od "Telegram jfo .
89 f rom
Sugimura, Ambassador at Ron:? t o s ~'tO: ) For e i gn l~inistcr, despatched
on lfay 25, 193J11 is nn exact and t rue copy of an official doc\.Ullcnt of
tho Japanese Foreign Office .
Certified at Tokyo,
on this 23rd day of January
1947 .
Isl
K.
HAYA~H I
Signa ture
Wi tnoss :
Isl
~1ago.haru
of Official
Odo
I
J-
PURL: http://www.legal-tools.org/doc/076415/
,,
/
L
PURL: http://www.legal-tools.org/doc/076415/
\
:.- - .....
l9£ WOOH Oi l.'1Mn..L3}J
( l~-i~~ ~
r ~ l!l- + 11 ~· ¥
' {$
~ t~ 1 ~ 1SI ~ ,, ~· ~ • ~ t't\ 1 o ~- "
1
i!I ~ 11 ~ ·) ~ll!B 11&' ~ Fiifu ' ~ ~ Slt:I I' ~ ~ ~ 1 ll
<~ ~
CD
•1
*
[ "'. ~ '
* ' t~ ~
~~
II\
C\
J < en ~ ~ ~ " 11 • " ~ ~- ~ '~
1
~ ~ ll ~ ===' f~ ( ~ ' ~ CD ~ 5:
*
~~~-~~ - ~ -~ l~~~+~cna~••~
~ II ~
•11
fX ~ ~ r-..
~ \111 "' ~ "-
iji
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
•1' (
~ 1t ti 1k 1¥ ~ lW " ·~
~ ~
'
~
:i\~
~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ &t If ~~ '4
'1J
•I
~
°* ~ ~ "' iJ'F ~
lll $
~ ")\ ~ 1\- .~
*
=- ~ ~~
llffi: ~ 1 ~ ~ ~ n
1
fii ~,
II
~ < ~ Ill
~ I~
{llil
~
.) ~ 1k lt g ~ ~ "
~ ~
"-
~ ~ ~ ~: fS ~
*~ , ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"°' ::;\ ~ * ~ ( ~ ~ -K ~ ~ •
$. ~ ~
..1..
II\
.)J
(
<
5:
.
W
•
•
,,
•
..
-K Hli ..~ ~ ~
~ ~ J8 ~ ~
~ ~(
111 ~ ~ ~. ~ ' l'- ,,.. ~ ~.
.. .
.
.
<~-~~~•<=-~~
~~-l~~
I\
~ . ~· 11
._
..
~ + 111 ·en . f "' ~ ' J ( • ~ 11 ~ ~~ ~ *K •I
fth ( ~ @rt ' -Pi ~ ti ~ ~. ilm I' j! ~ ~ la ~ ~ ~ '
Jt=I
~ ~ CD
1+1 ~ -It ~ ~ OQ ~
l
f
11
~
1k
w iI9: II ilm ' ~ ~
" llUf
I
~ ~ *I<
L
PURL: http://www.legal-tools.org/doc/076415/
.
..
.. • .
~
.
,.
....
C:~
.
r\
I
J
.
•
.
I! @I . ~~ .~· '
~
..........
.
'
.....
-.
.
~ i::f ~ -lX ~
~1 .
" *111
.
, (,\.,(
." .,,.: ln: ( ~ •I · ~·*~
' ~ .; .I;: ~ 0. ~ "" ..
..
~-
(
.,
.·
:
..
* ~ ~.
'K ~ ~ • ~
-R •
,• \
( ii\ ~
~
I!
I: : :
..
l:i '*I(
~~ ~
" i\i
'
•• •
ft. -~ ( m Iii OD ~- •• ~-
'
~ ~
+· ::-.
,.·· ~.·~ , .$1··~. $1
'. c·. .
I
I $!! " ;,
· . (
~
~
.}
~ ~ ·i1 ~ fnn ~ ·'-¥ .·e< )- .~ .~
.
.
1k ~ ' iJ. 8' ~ -R 11 ~ 4r ·m m ·flt. ~· 11 ob<·.~·:~-- " ,~
• ( 11 ~ •I ~~ ~~ ~ r~ • ~ .~ !\' ft .~ . " I§ Ul • 11 ttl
+' ::-. 4r .t- m~ ~·. ~ ., .~ ·~ =" II_, · ~ ~· ~· ti. "' If\ r( -""
•I
.
~
..
I).'
en ~ ~ ~ ' ~ ~
.
. '. . ':
:~ ••
·: .=
If•
m 4l ..
f\
fi ;::
«~ ~ ~
11
. ~; ;.~. !" =" ~ ~ ( 1lb. " ~ fi ~ '' ~ .r< ~ ~ IR~ .: ~ • ~ "
~ . ~ ..~ -4 ~ I'
. 1r. .i. ~. ·~ ~ ~ H e "' ~ ·' ._ Ii .~ \1
. -4 ( =\\ $. .A. • ~ .1r. _'( ti ~ ~ 11 i\ 'r< ~ .~ /Si1. _
( ~ l« ;$
~ " · .!\' 4N Iii '' ~ .~ .il t1 ~ ''. ~ '" .r< ., .-:-'°· :.w·. if ~ :+'. '"
~$
"
,
....
.
•1 .$. ii ~ •k ~ .M< ~ ~ .•I :~~ ~ ~: " ·~J:E r< ~
~~
"'
~
.A.
r< ~ !\'
Ol
·a1 .~ ~
,A. .
i[.
··;~ ..~ .m; $. ., •
~c~~~~"•~~~~ee+•"•~~·
...~:: !11 ( ~ ' • e e " • ~ ~ I! ,, ~ ')\ 1r. ~ ~ au
· . il " ~ ~ r< ~ ~ ~ " ~ :B r< •I ~ =" "- ~ ~ r<
.
\
L
PURL: http://www.legal-tools.org/doc/076415/
r
..,
·.
··.
I;" .: .:
-~
'-
-:
._.
t-
f.-\A
l
..
j
f.Jt
9\
~
·,
·a.
. : :;t.
.
~
~
J.J
-b ~ Z . . . . .
::1
~
~ , A ,..~ ' 1J I- !)l' l• ,
·Jl. {11 N ~ ~ ~ ,. ~ , 1JU
~ ~ / ~ ;;r.. ~ ~ .:. m -..
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~
N
~
*
~ ~ ~
-T
.~
9 •
j;
..
-
.:. .•
.:
"
.:.
~ ~ ~
l.J
., #
£
·
ft
i(
;;r..
N
'
~ ~ ~ ¥
3
Y
y
.A
11
~ ~ N $' ~ I~ ~ 7 ~ ~ ~ I
N
:Jt. v ft r 1J ii
•
$'
•
~~ ,A~ ~~~ ..
J- I- f{b ·
~
~ ~
~ $' ~ f;r ~ .: Ji. 1fl ~
•
~ .: -1- & ~ ~ • ,
V
~ ~ : ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ • ~ o/ ~
-
.Y
"'I
m
-
.:
?'-.?--~
w
,
~
;/; .:..
t£ ·Y~ -ff .., + m
~
.., · , v = ~ N ~=-Ji
" ~ "!'" "JR- .. B .:e- ~· I 7
tt ~ N 7
x m~ f
iJt' o/ 1f8 t,¥ ftij / ~ ~ tli N
1'. ;l c.ii= M .:. ® p~
::1
A
*
:1 .
.N
~Eil ~ " ~l PJ.l 3tfit / ~ · A -Ji rJI
•
•
:,...
*
~
~
·-
1J ~ "' -f!· ~ Z . .:
v N n ·~ .. ~ :tl rai e " .g
ffi A ~ ·ll!- · " ~ = .- fJt 1! . v
~ ~:m • ~ · m ~, = M
-it acJ ' . t§, = ~ 7 ~ Ii! " . ~
' . a - ~~~ a ~ .:. ~ 5 /
. $' . 00 . °' . I
~ 7' .: 7 -Ji
*-1
.7
, . f6 . ifij . J:: )v ~- JV ~ ~ ~
7
ll
/
l·~-1 L/O C
·a
;;r,.
V N
•
/
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
7
a *
•
.:
.:.
;;r..
~
°1ft
3
"'
ij
ti
~
~ ~
.:e- W
~-
~
+
N
~
~
~
~ ~ $' 8
fo
~ ~ ~
.,
•
Y
JI,
N
~ .: ~
~ ~ ~
~ .>V fi' 'M r~ f-; - 1J lli ;jt fj!' ., ~ -9'\ ~ :i: *fr ~v )~ ~' f.Jf'
~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ tt~-~ ftU9 ~N~7~::r~-b
~ : -:;; ~ ";) b~ .:.
~ m ;ff] .. ti?: ,- -.. -~· ::1 :. .. ; . .......,
.,.
.J
'
r
~ ·-
•
~-.
_..
,.~, .;i...
)v
4-1"
1'.),ii
/
!,.•
-;
.:
;;r..
r.!-
· 1C
"'\-
"
!..'J
I
.'
• "=I
:":'
, .,
f'
I~1
J,,.
'.
'·
...
_J
i
PURL: http://www.legal-tools.org/doc/076415/
~
..
~
(
~
'i-
...........
~
l~ ~ ( ~ •di,~
( &\\ Ill< " ~ r< n ""
~ ii' ¥\ ~ ltC ~ " ~i
u
JI(
~
LI!/
!;>(
til'I
i<
~
11--
~
J
I(
,,
~-":WI~"'"'
« 1111 ... ~ ~ ....
[;l
f,
itc c!: ,,
* "' Pl: '
lt' :\a :flt "
; . lh t1 $
" ill( ll
~
~
( '(
.~
*' ~
~
t. ;;..
!!'.l
~
,_
lit
~
•i
.,_
+
?, II '.{-
r< ~ ....
!$ t'Jl
!!) ,,
-R
1
t- r--
:_:l •:
* ~ ~ ( itc .
l!;H'.' ~ •l
:.i : -.
~;;..~,t-~S~,~ ~ ' a*~~a r<~ n~~
il -R ~ If'- ~ I' ' '" + If'- t( ~ m -~ II ~ ''-, :o•, !\'g
·-8 "
'4 ~ ' ~ l!l:i -l:ll ;;.. "' ~ ,J 4,a N ,, 1* "' '':~ ~ :; "
~.
o4
*
-\'
a *" ~ ~ ,, ;~ . ~ n t-- ~ lf\ .~~ ~
~s,•~< ~ ~ ~0 ' ~~~~•"'~ ~- "'~
,l.
~ ... . ;a llt ,, ll.h " ~ ~ ~ .... ;;.. lh ~ .\11::
~ 1111 {i!!!I - ' ~ ~ .... ;;.. •h .lo\ ill- -I' ~ ...
I
"' ~ ~-t' ;. :::"
•'
,l.
~ ~
'ii1
\~
,,
~ ~~
;;..
~ "'
' lit ,,
( lWi-
l,j
,,
~
~ t!
....
;;.. :, ..
+ ::'•
.
•
I
.........
PURL: http://www.legal-tools.org/doc/076415/