Thursday, 6 November

The enemy sent the former Ambassador to Germany Kurusu Saburō (来栖三郎)[1] to the United States to help Nomura Kichisaburō conduct the negotiations between the United States and Japan. At the same time the Japanese Times & Advertisers, the Japanese newspaper, raised seven points in its editorial on 4 November for the reconciliation plan between the United States and Japan. The main content was that it demanded the United States and other countries cease its assistance to China, leaving China and Japan to deal directly with each other, ceasing military and economic encirclements against Japan, and recognition of the East Asia co-prosperity sphere. It said that if the United States refused these terms, the Japanese Diet would undoubtedly adopt a defensive plan. Such foolish intimidation from Japan is ridiculous. Although the newspaper is the mouthpiece of Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the American Government and public opinion will never take this editorial seriously, saying “The Japanese Times & Advertisers is merely flying a kite and not voicing an authoritative opinion”. On the one hand, Japan dispatches people to have peace talks, yet on the other hand it resorts to threats. Only those Japanese with unsophisticated thoughts could do so.

At 3.00 p.m. I went to the Executive Yuan to discuss the drafts for important Government internal and external policies. There was no amendment of the part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

[1] Kurusu Saburō (1886-1954) was a Japanese diplomat.