Page 55

Parent Collaboration Between Japan, Germany and Italy - Volume II
Date 25 November 1941
Language English
Collection Tavenner Papers & IMTFE Official Records
Box Box 15
Folder Japan, Germany, Italy Collaboration Vol 2
Repository University of Virginia Law Library
"No. 27 of 16th TOP SECRET URGENT! Secret. For Reich Minister Personally. "1.) Foreign Minister handed to me the following text of answer of Japanese Government at 10.30 a.m. today to statement of Chinese Government of 13 January with the request to pass it to Hankow as quickly as possible. HIROTA expressed gratitude repeatedly and vigorously for efforts of German Government to bring about negotia¬tions for peace. Then, he handed to me a government statement to the Japanese people to be published this afternoon, which will be given to D.N.B. /German News Agency/. "2.) Text of answer. "'Strictly confidential. "'I desire to express my sincerest appreciation of the good offices of Your Excellency's Government and the earnest efforts of Your Excellency regarding the question of opening direct negotiations for a peaceful settlement of the Sino-Japanese affair. However, the Chinese reply concerning the said negotiation, having been postponed several times, failed to reach us even on the 10th January, so that we had to wait a few more days for its arrival. When received at last yesterday, the Chinese reply was found to be merely a perfunctory one, asking for details of our terms. We cannot but conclude that the attitude of procrastination