TOYODA EXPLAINS WHY JAPAN DECIDED TO PROTECT INDO-CHINA 351

When a correspondent asked the Vichy spokesman whether such
a decision would not be incpnsistent with the announced policy of
France to defend her empire against all powers, he replied that the
French Government had been obliged to come to this decision as
die result of events in Syria. Replying to a question as to whether
the assistance of the United States in preserving the status quo in Indo-
Ghina had been requested by France, the spokesman was evidently
primed for the question because he said at once that France had not
bothered to make any further request to the United States at this
time since no satisfaction had been received when American assistance
in Indo-China had been asked by France in 1940. In this case the
spokesman did not take refuge in his usual procedure by saying that he
must consult his superiors when some delicate point is brought up.

FOREIGN MINISTER TOYODA EXPLAINS WHY JAPAN
DECIDED TO PROTECT INDO-CHINA

July 25, 1941

The new Minister for Foreign Affairs, Admiral Toyoda, to-day
received the diplomatic chiefs of mission individually. In opening
our conversation he said that his appointment as Minister for Foreign
Affairs had come as a great surprise, and that as he was an amateur
at diplomacy he would count upon my assistance. He then said
that the Tripartite Alliance stands and that Japanese policy is based
upon that pact. He made no further reference to policy.

For my part I said that I haŁ been working for nine years to
build up something permanently constructive in American-Japanese
relations and that I hoped for the Minister's collaboration in con-
tinuing those efforts. I said that an improvement in our relations
was not only important to the United States but that Japan has
everything to gain from such an improvement. But I added that
we must remember friendship is not a one-way street.

The Minister thanked me for what I had said and assured me of
his collaboration. He said that as soon as he had finished receiving the
chiefs of mission to-day he would like to have a longer talk with me.

Our second meeting came at 9,30 the same evening when I called
on the new Minister for Foreign Affairs at his request. He said that
at noon the following day the Japanese Government would issue an
official statement of the agreement reached with the Vichy Govern-
ment concerning Japan's proposed movement into Indo-China, but
that in view of the concern of the United States he wished to explain
to me in advance the reasons and intentions of such movement.
Admiral Toyoda thereupon handed to me a document in Japanese
accompanied by an unofficial English translation.

After reading the document I said that I would transmit it
promptly to my Government, but that in the meantime I could
best reply to certain points contained therein by conveying to the
Minister the statement issued to the press yesterday by the Acting