The text of the document handed by the Secretary of State to
the Japanese Ambassador on 26 November 1941, which consists of two parts, one
an oral statement and one an outline of a proposed basis for agreement between
the United States and Japan, reads as follows:
Oral
Strictly confidential
November 26, 1941
The representatives of the Government of the United States
and of the Government of Japan have been carrying on during the past several
months informal and exploratory conversations for the purpose of arriving at a
settlement if possible of questions relating to the entire Pacific area based
upon the principles of peace, law and order and fair dealing among nations.
These principles include the principle of inviolability of territorial
integrity and sovereignty of each and all nations; the principle of
non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries; the principle of
equality, including equality of commercial opportunity and treatment; and the
principle of reliance upon international cooperation and conciliation for the
prevention and pacific settlement of controversies and for improvement of
international conditions by peaceful methods and processes.
It is believed that in our discussions some progress has
been made in reference to the general principles which constitute the basis of
a peaceful settlement covering the entire Pacific area. Recently the Japanese
Ambassador has stated that the Japanese Government is desirous of continuing
the conversations directed toward a comprehensive and peaceful settlement of
the Pacific area; that it would be helpful toward creating an atmosphere
favorable to the successful outcome of the conversations if a temporary modus
vivendi could be agreed upon to be in effect while the conversations looking to
peaceful settlement in the Pacific were continuing. On November 20 the Japanese
Ambassador communicated to the Secretary of State proposals in regard to
temporary measure to be taken respectively by the Government of Japan and by
the Government of the United States, which measures are understood to have been
designed to accomplish the purposes above indicated.
The Government of the United States most earnestly desires
to contribute to the promotion and maintenance of peace and stability in the
Pacific area, and to afford every opportunity for the continuance of discussion
with the Japanese Government directed toward working out a broad-gauge program
of peace throughout the Pacific area. The proposals which were presented by the
Japanese Ambassador on November 20 contain some features which, in the opinion
of this Government, conflict with the fundamental principles which form a part
of the general settlement under consideration and to which each Government has
declared that it is committed. The Government of the United States believes
that the adoption of such proposals would not be likely to contribute to the
ultimate objectives of ensuring peace under law, order and justice in the
Pacific area, and it suggests that further effort be made to resolve our
divergences of view in regard to the practical application of the fundamental
principles already mentioned.
With this object in view the Government of the United States
offers for the consideration of the Japanese Government a plan of a broad but
simple settlement covering the entire Pacific area as one practical
exemplification of a program which this Government envisages as something to be
worked out during our further conversations.
The plan therein suggested represents an effort to bridge
the gap between our draft of June 21, 1941 and the Japanese draft of September
25 by making a new approach to the essential problems underlying a
comprehensive Pacific settlement. This plan contains provisions dealing with
the practical application of the fundamental principles which we have agreed in
our conversations constitute the only sound basis for worthwhile international
relations. We hope that in this way progress toward reaching a meeting of minds
between our two Governments may be expedited.
Strictly
confidential, tentative and without commitment
November 26, 1941
Outline of Proposed Basis for Agreement Between the United
States and Japan
Section I: Draft Mutual Declaration of Policy
The Government of the United States and the Government of
Japan both being solicitous for the peace of the Pacific affirm that their
national policies are directed toward lasting and extensive peace throughout
the Pacific area, that they have no territorial designs in that area, that they
have no intention of threatening other countries or of using military force
aggressively against any neighboring nation, and that, accordingly, in their
national policies they will actively support and give practical application to
the following fundamental principles upon which their relations with each other
and with all other governments are based:
The principle of inviolability of territorial integrity and
sovereignty of each and all nations.
The principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of
other countries.
The principle of equality, including equality of commercial
opportunity and treatment.
The principle of reliance upon international cooperation and
conciliation for the prevention and pacific settlement of controversies and for
improvement of international conditions by peaceful methods and processes.
The Government of Japan and the Government of the United
States have agreed that toward eliminating chronic political instability,
preventing recurrent economic collapse, and providing a basis for peace, they
will actively support and practically apply the following principles in their
economic relations with each other and with other nations and peoples:
The principle of non-discrimination in international
commercial relations.
The principle of international economic cooperation and
abolition of extreme nationalism as expressed in excessive trade restrictions.
The principle of non-discriminatory access by all nations to
raw material supplies.
The principle of full protection of the interests of
consuming countries and populations as regards the operation of international
commodity agreements.
The principle of establishment of such institutions and
arrangements of international finance as may lend aid to the essential
enterprises and the continuous development of all countries and may permit
payments through processes of trade consonant with the welfare of all
countries.
Section II: Steps To Be Taken by the Government of the United States and by the Government of Japan
The Government of the United States and the Government of
Japan propose to take steps as follows:
The Government of the United States and the Government of
Japan will endeavor to conclude a multilateral non-aggression pact among the
British Empire, China, Japan, the Netherlands, the Soviet Union, Thailand and
the United States.
Both Governments will endeavor to conclude among the
American, British, Chinese, Japanese, the Netherland and Thai Governments would
pledge itself to respect the territorial integrity of French Indochina and, in
the event that there should develop a threat to the territorial integrity of
Indochina, to enter into immediate consultation with a view to taking such
measures as may be deemed necessary and advisable to meet the threat in
question. Such agreement would provide also that each of the Governments party
to the agreement would not seek or accept preferential treatment in its trade
or economic relations with Indochina and would use its influence to obtain for
each of the signatories equality of treatment in trade and commerce with French
Indochina.
The Government of Japan will withdraw all military, naval,
air and police forces from China and from Indochina.
The Government of the United States and the Government of
Japan will not support—militarily, politically, economically—any government or
regime in China other than the National Government of the Republic of China
with capital temporarily at Chungking.
Both Governments will endeavor to obtain the agreement of
the British and other governments to give up extraterritorial rights in China,
including right in international settlements and in concessions and under the
Boxer Protocol of 1901.
The Government of the United States and the Government of
Japan will enter into negotiations for the conclusion between the United States
and Japan of a trade agreement, based upon reciprocal most favored-nation
treatment and reduction of trade barriers by both countries, including an
undertaking by the United States to bind raw silk on the free list.
The Government of the United States and the Government of
Japan will, respectively, remove the freezing restrictions on Japanese funds in
the United States and on American funds in Japan.
Both Governments will agree upon a plan for the
stabilization of the dollar-yen rate, with the allocation of funds adequate for
this purpose, half to be supplied by Japan and half by the United States.
Both Governments will agree that no agreement which either
has concluded with any third power or powers shall be interpreted by it in such
a way as to conflict with the fundamental purpose of this agreement, the
establishment and preservation of peace throughout the Pacific area.
Both Governments will use their influence to cause other
governments to adhere to and to give practical application to the basic
political and economic principles set forth in this agreement.
