ADMIRAL TOYODA TRIES TO SPEED ROOSEVELT-KONOYE MEETING 393

the Japanese Government for its consideration the undertakings
to be assumed by the Japanese Government which \\ould be satis-
factory to the American Government .J

At this point in the conversation I took occasion to reply to the
criticism in the Japanese press concerning the absence of progress in
the present conversations, by stressing to Admiral Toyoda that the
American Government in the determination and execution of iu
policy continuously considers and gives due worth to the develop-
ment and state of American public opinion. Admiral Toyoda re-
marked that public opinion even in Japan could not be disregarded
but that it would be a comparatively easy matter to control Japanese
public opinion provided, as a result of the suggested meeting between
Prince Konoye and the President, some agreement were arrived at.
The Minister gave me his assurances that the Japanese Government
would find it possible to make commitments of a far-reaching char-
acter at such a meeting, but that under present conditions the full
extent of the undertakings which the Japanese Government was
willing to assume could not be set forth prior to the meeting. He
reiterated his concern lest the Government be unable to control
extremist groups in Japan if matters remain in their present un-
determined conditions.

The Minister having at the beginning of the conversation expressed
his appreciation of the message which I had sent him yesterday
concerning the reported plan to send additional Japanese forces
into French Indo-China, I reverted to this point and strongly em-
phasized to him that the dispatch of Japanese reinforcements to Indo-
China at this juncture while the conversations were in progress
between our two Governments would create a very delicate situation,
and in my opinion could not but seriously and adversely affect these
conversations. I told the Foreign Minister that the arrival of ad-
ditional Japanese forces in Indo-China at this time, in the light of
recent activities of the Japanese authorities in Indo-China to which
" I had already drawn his attention, such as threats to take over the
telegraph, post, and customs, and the demands for additional air
bases, would inevitably give rise to the most serious suspicions in
regard to Japan's aims in respect to French Indo-China* The Minister
replied that he was giving most careful study to my private and
informal message on the subject and had already conferred with the
Minister of War, and hoped to be able to give me a reply in a few
days. He added that he had also discussed with the War Minister
the activities of the Japanese authorities in Indo-China to which
I had drawn his attention, and had asked the Minister to take im-
mediate steps to remedy the situation.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs then told me that since he had
the impression that the Japanese Ambassador in Washington was
apparently very fatigued, serious consideration was being given to
the question of sending to Washington a diplomat of wide experience to

T3*