THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERnment
288
FAR EASTERN (JAPAN).
CONFIDENTIAL.
December 6, 1938.
SECTION 5.
[F 12957/1236/23]
Sir R. Craigie to Viscount Halifax.—(Received December 6.) (No. 857.)
131
Copy No.
HIS Majesty's representative at Tokyo presents his compliments to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and, with reference to Tokyo despatch No. 765 of the 6th October, 1938, has the honour to transmit to him a copy of Political Diary No. 10 for the period the 1st to 31st October, 1938.
Tokyo, November 2, 1938.
Enclosure.
Political Diary No. 10 of 1938, October 1 to 31.
(This diary is a brief and informal review of current topics. Although it is largely based on extracts from the Japanese press and is not in the nature of a considered report, the diary should be treated as confidential and should not be publicly quoted or reproduced.)
The European Crisis.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
245. The European crisis and the events leading up to the Munich settle- ment were still without doubt the main topics of political conversation amongst Japanese and foreigners alike during the early part of October.
246. Regret may have been felt in certain Nationalist circles that war was averted, since it was felt that it would have given Japan a free hand in China. "From Japan's point of view," remarked the Kokumin, "there is cause for felicitation in the fact that two of its closest friends, Germany and Italy, were saved from involvement in war. At the same time there is cause for warning in the fact that the agreement has given Britain and France a stronger hand in dealing with the affairs of the Far East." More far-sighted and responsible Japanese realised that it was by no means certain that Japan herself could avoid "involvement" in Europe.
247. The more sober reviews, however, have taken the line that war in Europe could only result in a repetition of the history of the Treaty of Versailles with the added danger of the bolshevisation of Germany. England stood to gain nothing even in victory, and "there is nothing more un-English than to plunge into a profitless war.'
The Foreign Minister.
248. Additional facts have since come to light in explanation of General Ugaki's resignation (reference paragraph 233 of Diary No. 9). It appears that the general received a group of press men, supposed to be his supporters, at Hayama on the previous Sunday. He expounded to them, in confidence, his views on foreign policy, and he seems to have been told that he was talking nonsense. In view of the fact that General Ugaki, who regarded himself as a pillar of the Government, had gradually been forced into the background, the "Hayama incident" is held by those with knowledge of it to have precipitated his decision to resign.
249. Many names were mentioned, amongst them being Messrs. Shiratori, Shigemitsu and Horinouchi, the newly-appointed ambassadors to Rome, London and Washington respectively; Mr. Matsuoka, whose resignation from the
[483 f-5]
B