(Dept. of State Bulletin,
Vol. V, No. 129, Dec. 13, 1941)
[This document was handed
by Secretary of State Cordell Hull to Ambassador
Nomura on November 26, 1941. It consisted of two
parts: an oral statement, and an outline of a proposed
basis for agreement between the United States and
Japan]
Oral Statement
"Strictly confidential
"November 26, 1941
The representatives of the
Government of the United States and of the Government
of Japan have been carrying on during the past several
months informal and exploratory conversations for
the purpose of arriving at a settlement if possible
of questions relating to the entire Pacific area
based upon the principles of peace, law and order
and fair dealing among nations. These principles
include the principle of inviolability of territorial
integrity and sovereignty of each and all nations;
the principle of non-interference in the internal
affairs of other countries; the principle of equality,
including equality of commercial opportunity and
treatment; and the principle of reliance upon international
cooperation and conciliation for the prevention
and pacific settlement of controversies and for
improvement of international conditions by peaceful
methods and processes.
It is believed that in our
discussions some progress has been made in reference
to the general principles which constitute the basis
of a peaceful settlement covering the entire Pacific
area. Recently the Japanese Ambassador has stated
that the Japanese Government is desirous of continuing
the conversations directed toward a comprehensive
and peaceful settlement of the Pacific area; that
it would be helpful toward creating an atmosphere
favorable to the successful outcome of the conversations
if a temporary modus vivendi could be agreed upon
to be in effect while the conversations looking
to peaceful settlement in the Pacific were continuing.
On November 20 the Japanese Ambassador communicated
to the Secretary of State proposals in regard to
temporary measure to be taken respectively by the
Government of Japan and by the Government of the
United States, which measures are understood to
have been designed to accomplish the purposes above
indicated.
The Government of the United
States most earnestly desires to contribute to the
promotion and maintenance of peace and stability
in the Pacific area, and to afford every opportunity
for the continuance of discussion with the Japanese
Government directed toward working out a broad-gauge
program of peace throughout the Pacific area. The
proposals which were presented by the Japanese Ambassador
on November 20 contain some features which, in the
opinion of this Government, conflict with the fundamental
principles which form a part of the general settlement
under consideration and to which each Government
has declared that it is committed. The Government
of the United States believes that the adoption
of such proposals would not be likely to contribute
to the ultimate objectives of ensuring peace under
law, order and justice in the Pacific area, and
it suggests that further effort be made to resolve
our divergences of view in regard to the practical
application of the fundamental principles already
mentioned.
With this object in view
the Government of the United States offers for the
consideration of the Japanese Government a plan
of a broad but simple settlement covering the entire
Pacific area as one practical exemplification of
a program which this Government envisages as something
to be worked out during our further conversations.
The plan therein suggested
represents an effort to bridge the gap between our
draft of June 21, 1941 and the Japanese draft of
September 25 by making a new approach to the essential
problems underlying a comprehensive Pacific settlement.
This plan contains provisions dealing with the practical
application of the fundamental principles which
we have agreed in our conversations constitute the
only sound basis for worthwhile international relations.
We hope that in this way progress toward reaching
a meeting of minds between our two Governments may
be expedited." "Strictly confidential,
tentative and without commitment."
November 26, 1941.
Outline of Proposed Basis for Agreement Between
the United States and Japan
Section I "Draft Mutual
Declaration of Policy
The Government of the United
States and the Government of Japan both being solicitous
for the peace of the Pacific affirm that their national
policies are directed toward lasting and extensive
peace throughout the Pacific area, that they have
no territorial designs in that area, that they have
no intention of threatening other countries or of
using military force aggressively against any neighboring
nation, and that, accordingly, in their national
policies they will actively support and give practical
application to the following fundamental principles
upon which their relations with each other and with
all other governments are based:
(1) The principle of inviolability
of territorial integrity and sovereignty of each
and all nations.
(2) The principle of non-interference
in the internal affairs of other countries.
(3) The principle of equality,
including equality of commercial opportunity and
treatment.
(4) The principle of reliance
upon international cooperation and conciliation
for the prevention and pacific settlement of controversies
and for improvement of international conditions
by peaceful methods and processes.
The Government of Japan and
the Government of the United States have agreed
that toward eliminating chronic political instability,
preventing recurrent economic collapse, and providing
a basis for peace, they will actively support and
practically apply the following principles in their
economic relations with each other and with other
nations and peoples:
(1) The principle of non-discrimination
in international commercial relations.
(2) The principle of international
economic cooperation and abolition of extreme nationalism
as expressed in excessive trade restrictions.
(3) The principle of non-discriminatory
access by all nations to raw material supplies.
(4) The principle of full
protection of the interests of consuming countries
and populations as regards the operation of international
commodity agreements.
(5) The principle of establishment
of such institutions and arrangements of international
finance as may lend aid to the essential enterprises
and the continuous development of all countries
and may permit payments through processes of trade
consonant with the welfare of all countries.
Section II
Steps To Be Taken by the
Government of the United States and by the Government
of Japan
The Government of the United
States and the Government of Japan propose to take
steps as follows:
1. The Government of the
United States and the Government of Japan will endeavor
to conclude a multilateral non-aggression pact among
the British Empire, China, Japan, the Netherlands,
the Soviet Union, Thailand and the United States.
2. Both Governments will
endeavor to conclude among the American, British,
Chinese, Japanese, the Netherland and Thai Governments
would pledge itself to respect the territorial integrity
of French Indochina and, in the event that there
should develop a threat to the territorial integrity
of Indochina, to enter into immediate consultation
with a view to taking such measures as may be deemed
necessary and advisable to meet the threat in question.
Such agreement would provide also that each of the
Governments party to the agreement would not seek
or accept preferential treatment in its trade or
economic relations with Indochina and would use
its influence to obtain for each of the signatories
equality of treatment in trade and commerce with
French Indochina.
3. The Government of Japan
will withdraw all military, naval, air and police
forces from China and from Indochina.
4. The Government of the
United States and the Government of Japan will not
support - militarily, politically, economically
- any government or regime in China other than the
National Government of the Republic of China with
capital temporarily at Chungking.
5. Both Governments will
endeavor to obtain the agreement of the British
and other governments to give up extraterritorial
rights in China, including right in international
settlements and in concessions and under the Boxer
Protocol of 1901.
6. The Government of the
United States and the Government of Japan will enter
into negotiations for the conclusion between the
United States and Japan of a trade agreement, based
upon reciprocal most favored-nation treatment and
reduction of trade barriers by both countries, including
an undertaking by the United States to bind raw
silk on the free list.
7. The Government of the
United States and the Government of Japan will,
respectively, remove the freezing restrictions on
Japanese funds in the United States and on American
funds in Japan.
8. Both Governments will
agree upon a plan for the stabilization of the dollar-yen
rate, with the allocation of funds adequate for
this purpose, half to be supplied by Japan and half
by the United States.
9. Both Governments will
agree that no agreement which either has concluded
with any third power or powers shall be interpreted
by it in such a way as to conflict with the fundamental
purpose of this agreement, the establishment and
preservation of peace throughout the Pacific area.
10. Both Governments will
use their influence to cause other governments to
adhere to and to give practical application to the
basic political and economic principles set forth
in this agreement.