FOREIGN RELATIONS, 1934, VOLUME III



nage purposes; that such incidents as this made some of the Japanese
authorities reluctant to have foreign nationals visit the Islands; but
that when the authorities were assured that the visits were for no
improper purposes no obstacle would be placed in the way of Ameri-
can nationals making such visits.

711.94/991
     The Consul at Kobe (Donovan) to the Secretary of State

No. 398                                  KOBE, November 2, 1934.
                                          [Received November 23.]
  Sm: I have the honor to report that Lieutenant-Colonel Hageno (?)
Matsumoto, an officer assigned to the staff of Prince Higashi-Kuni,
Commander of the Fourth Division of the Japanese Army now at
Osaka,17 made a highly inflammatory and anti-American address to
the Young Men's and Ex-Soldiers' Associations of Suma, a suburb of
Kobe, on the evening of October 29th.
  The gist of his remarks was as follows:
  1. The outcome of the Naval Conference is immaterial in that
Japan now has a preponderance of warships of the class desired, and
will continue to maintain this advantage. Japan is in a position to
defeat America at any time, and in fact, any other country or combina-
tion of countries.
  2. American duplicity during former Naval Conferences degraded
Japan, and this insult to the Imperial Navy must be avenged.
  3. After all, America is the one nation that stands in the way of
justice, and the long list of insults from that country must be wiped
out, and to establish Japan as the just ruler of the world America
must be crushed.
  4. America, formerly the richest and most opulent nation in the
world has become weak and flabby through dissipation and now is the
time for Japan to prove the worth of her inheritance of the Yamato
Damashii.
  5. War is surely coming and all must be prepared so that a success-
ful outcome may be assured. The Japanese Army is now waiting
for the time to act, and the ex-service men and reserves must be pre-
pared at any time to be called to the colors, which will probably be by
the end of this year, or early next year. No ex-service man should
leave his district unless on very urgent business, and then only for a
very short time.
  6. Japan has never lost a war and never will.
  This information was obtained by Clerk Carey J. Scott of the Con-
sulate staff who overheard part of the address. Mr. Scott lives in

'7 In his despatch No. 408, November 28, the Consul at Kobe reported not
being
able to confirm the officer's connection with the Japanese Army, but added:
"I
desire to emphasize the fact that the audience was convinced that the speaker
was
officer of the Japanese Army." (711.94/994)



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