Office of the Historian

793.94/8204: Telegram

The Chargé in Japan (Dickover) to the Secretary of State

Tokyo, October 1, 1936—9 p.m.
[Received October 1—11:35 a.m.]

199. Department’s 125, September 30, 6 p.m.

1.
Administrative reform has been widely advocated for many months, particularly since the February 26 incident.
[2.]
The War Minister on September 22 apparently presented to the Premier a plan of administrative reform including (a) the consolidation of certain departments; and (b) the consolidation of the various existing investigation and legislative bureaus for the formulation of national policies under a Cabinet Minister without portfolio.
3.
September 30 the Vice Minister of War in a statement to the press said that the plan was proposed by the War Minister as a Cabinet member and cannot be considered to be the plan of the Japanese Army. He added that the War Minister will not make approval of the proposal in its original form an absolute demand.
4.
Although administrative reform will undoubtedly be a large question in the run of political issues in the approaching months in Japan, the Embassy believes that the present proposal made while Sino-Japanese relations are strained will have no significant influence on Japanese policy in China. There is no present indication that any proposal of administrative reform will result in resignation of the Cabinet.
Dickover