CO129-575-3 Japanese affairs 2-1-1939 - 21-12-1939 — Page 165

THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT

196

FAR EASTERN (JAPAN).

CONFIDENTIAL.

March 3, 1939.

SECTION 3.

[F 2152/23/23]

Copy No.

131

Sir R. Craigie to Viscount Halifax.—(Received March 3.)

:

(No. 39.) My Lord,

Tokyo, January 23, 1939. I HAVE the honour to transmit to your Lordship herewith a translation(') (as prepared in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs) of the speech delivered by the Prime Minister at the opening session of the Imperial Diet on the 21st January.

2. Your Lordship will observe that Baron Hiranuma, in dealing with "the China affair," stated that as there already existed "an immutable policy," to which Imperial sanction had been obtained by the previous Cabinet, the new Cabinet, being, of course, committed to the same policy," was determined to go forward at all costs to the achievement of the final purpose, which he summed up as "the establishment of a new order to replace the old " in East Asia. This could only be achieved by laying the foundations of the prosperity and progress of East Asia in the political, economic and cultural co-operation of Japan, Manchukuo and China, and on the basis of the fundamental principle embodied in a command of the late Emperor Meiji, who had said: "Cast off the evil ways of the past and follow the just and equitable principle of nature.

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3. As regards communism on the "Chinese continent" the Prime Minister emphasised the absolute necessity for its elimination if "truth and righteous- were to prevail. He went on to express Japan's gratitude for the whole- hearted support which had been given to her by Germany and Italy and her gratification that her relations with those friendly Powers with whom she was bound by the Anti-Comintern Pact were increasingly cordial.

4. In another part of his speech the Prime Minister declared that the final aim of the present campaign did not lie in military victories, but in the re-birth of China and in the creation of a new order uniting Japan, Manchukuo and China in a relationship of mutual aid and collaboration.

5. The closing portion of the speech dealt with the Government's plans for giving effect to their "immutable policy." These included a renovation of the educational system so that the Government could deal properly with the China affair and the international developments of the future; the rapid replenishment of all the powers of the nation, especially of defence power, by means of the expansion of productive power, the development of foreign trade, the adjustment of capital, commodities and labour, and the regulation of commodity prices with a view to the creation of strong armaments and the expansion of economic strength; the development and reinforcement of all the systems of transportation and communication in accordance with the new conditions in East Asia; the continuance of economic control in various fields; and the further invocation of the Government's powers under the National General Mobilisation Law.

6. I have further the honour to transmit herewith a translation(1) (also prepared in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, but amended here and there to make it accord more closely to the original) of the speech delivered by the Minister for Foreign Affairs on the occasion of the opening of the session. The salient points in Mr. Arita's speech have already formed the subject of my telegram No. 64 of the 22nd January.

7. It will be observed that Mr. Arita's speech, after dealing in some detail with certain phases of the struggle with China and the Government's determina- tion to cope adequately with the situation as it affects Japan's relations with foreign countries, terminates with an expression of the belief of the Japanese Government that an enduring world peace can be established "only on the moral foundation of the friendship and harmony of mankind and in conformity with the principles of justice and equality." There is thus an attempt in both speeches, which as usual abound in the high sounding phrases of which Japanese statesmen

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(1) Not printed