893.001 (M) Pu Yi/7
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan (Grew)
Sir: The receipt is acknowledged of your despatch No. 1106, dated December 28, 1934,43 in which it is requested that the Department give you provisional instructions in regard to the attitude which you should take in the event that invitations are extended to you to attend functions given by the so-called Emperor of “Manchukuo” or given in his honor on the occasion of his projected visit to Tokyo.
The Department confidently relies upon your judgment and discretion to take such action in regard to the problems envisaged in your despatch under reference as may be best calculated to preserve the dignity and interests of the United States without gratuitously or unnecessarily injuring the susceptibilities of the Japanese people and Government. It believes, therefore, that it would be more helpful to you to have latitude in dealing with these matters than to be restricted by specific and detailed instructions even of a provisional character. The Department would appreciate, however, careful consideration being given to its views and desires as expressed in the following paragraphs.
The Department expects that you will consult with your British and French colleagues with a view to concerting the action and attitude of the representatives of the principal powers in regard to any [Page 42] problem that may develop out of the presence in Tokyo of “Emperor Kangte”.
It is noted that a high official of the Imperial Household has intimated that no invitation to meet “Emperor Kangte” during his sojourn in Tokyo will be addressed to members of the diplomatic corps. It is to be hoped that such will be the case. If, however, invitations are extended to you in the name of the Emperor of Japan to attend social functions to be held by the Imperial Household at which “Emperor Kangte” may be expected to be present as one of the guests, they may in your discretion be accepted, as such acceptance could not, as you are aware, in any way imply recognition of “Manchukuo”.
The Department is reluctant to believe that the Imperial Household would, in view of the declarations of attitude of the powers vis-à-vis the entity known as “Manchukuo”, address to you and other members of the diplomatic corps invitations in the name of “Emperor Kangte”, or so worded as to indicate that there is intention to do honor to “Emperor Kangte”, but if such invitations are extended to you the Department would expect that you would abstain from accepting them.
It is assumed that you would not, of course, attend any function which would be made the occasion of political action affecting “Manchukuo”.
Very truly yours,
- Not printed.↩