861a.01/348: Telegram

The Ambassador in Japan (Warren) to the Secretary of State

155. Uchida this morning gave out statement on Changchung Conference. Chargé in Washington has text. Will mail copy.

Bearing on withdrawal of troops he said:

“The failure of the Changchung Conference is a matter of deep regret to the Japanese Government but it means no change in our policy of withdrawing our troops from Siberia. The withdrawal from Vladivostok and other mainland points will be concluded by the end of October. As for Sakhalin our retirement from the northern or Russian half of the island will take place as repeatedly stated [Page 859] as soon as the Nikolaiefsk affair has been settled. The Japanese Government has no territorial design whatever in this or any other connection.”

“In order to demonstrate Japan’s good faith the Japanese Government had ordered and had actually begun the withdrawal of Japanese troops from Siberian towns. Various groups of Russians as well as Japanese petitioned our Government not to withdraw the troops fearing the development of lawlessness and warfare among Russian factions as well as against Japanese. But in spite of such possibilities the Japanese Government, determined to have no further reason for criticism or suspicions of Japan’s policy, decided to continue the withdrawal.”

Warren