711.94114A/12–1844: Telegram
The Chargé in Switzerland (Huddle) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 19—11:39 p.m.]
8204. Am[erican] Interests, Japan. Your 2115, June 21. Foreign Office note December 15 received today regarding visits POW and civil internment camps Far East quotes following letter Shigemitsu to Gorgé.
“I have the honor to inform Your Excellency that the Imperial Government has taken, as a result of particular consideration, the following decision regarding visits to camps in occupied territory. I should be greatly obliged if you would communicate to me the views of the British [and] United States Governments and their Allies regarding following communication.
Imperial Government which has carried out its studies on visits by third persons to POW and civil internee camps in occupied territories in the south has decided following:
In accordance with desire British, American and Allied Governments and agreeing to request of International Red Cross Committee, Imperial Government will recognize—on a provisional basis during camp visits—the status of representative of the Committee delegate to Japan to those persons residing here and depending on this organization whom the Imperial Government shall consider well qualified to be authorized to visit these camps under control military authorities. This authorization will be given to the extent that there will be no objection because of military operations.
In proposing to place in practice this decision in the first place in the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, Imperial Government [Page 1013] simultaneously with the present communication will enter into negotiations on this subject with International Red Cross Committee.
The present authorization will not, however, be given except on condition that British, American and Allied Governments accord to delegate international committee on basis of reciprocity permission to visit Japanese POW and civilian internee camps in regions they occupy in particular New Caledonia, Saipan, Tinian and Guam territories concerning primarily the American Government.”88
- In telegram 8213, December 18, 8 p.m., the Chargé in Switzerland reported information from Mr. Gorgé that no mention was made of visits to camps in the Dutch East Indies because visits to camps in the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand represented “only first trial”. (711.94114A/12–1844)↩