ADMIRAL TOYODA'S PEACE OFFER nfa

dent would consent. Moreover, Toyoda had instructed Ambassador
Nomura about this matter on August 7. He intended that Admiral
Nomura should personally see President Roosevelt on his return to
Washington.

16. According to news reports the President returned to Washing-
ton yesterday. It is the seriousness of the matter that prompts the
Minister to make this statement to me and he wishes to ask for my
co-operation.

17. The Minister firmly believes that I will give him my co-opera-
tion when he remembers my ever-continuing, sincere effort for the
improvement of American-Japanese friendly relations during the past
nine long years.

18. Needless to say, the Premier's going abroad would have no
precedent in Japanese history. Nevertheless, the Prime Minister,
Prince Konoye, has firmly resolved to meet the President, notwith-
standing the fact that he is fully aware of the objections in certain
parts of this country. This determination of Prince Konoye is noth-
ing but the expression of his strongest desire to save the civilization
of the world from ruin as well as to maintain peace in the Pacific
by making every effort in his power. The Minister firmly believes
that the President will also be in harmony with this thought and
will give his consent to the proposal of the Japanese Government.

19. It is firmly believed that in the conversations between the
Prime Minister and the President it will be possible to reach a just
and equitable agreement on the general question of Japanese-
American relations from the broad-minded point of view as a result
of the expressions of the highest degree of statesmanship of both
leaders, Japan not being necessarily bound by her reply to the
President's proposal of July 24 made through Admiral Nomura on
August 6. In this connection the Minister wishes to call my attention
to the fact that it is absolutely necessary to avoid arousing misunder-
standing or giving an impression both inside and outside this country
that the Japanese Government has entered into negotiation with
the American Government as a result of American pressure. Based
upon this point of view, the Minister deems it desirable that various
measures of economic pressure against Japan be immediately
stopped or highly moderated and the Japanese Government is, of
course, ready to reciprocate at once in this respect. The Minister
wishes to draw the attention of the American Government to this
point.

520. The foregoing is the substance of the highly serious and
absolutely secret proposal for which the Minister especially asked me
to visit hW to-day. In view of its importance and delicate nature
he did not need to ask me to keep this only to myself, as it is^not
difficult to imagine what would occur if it should leak out. This is
the reason why he has so far been instructing only Admiral Nomura
to discuss and to dispose of the matter in the United States, but in
order to make this proposal realized he has roost frankly expressed