FOREIGN RELATIONS, 19 3 4, VOLUME III



The reported divergence of views between the Foreign Office and the
Navy Department over the question of abrogating the Washington
Naval Treaty * has apparently been adjusted following a conference
between Mr. Hirota and Admiral Osumi, Minister of the Navy, on
June 26 according to the Asahi. A statement was given out after-
ward in which Admiral Osumi is reported to have said: "The Foreign
Office and the Navy Department are in perfect agreement regarding
the naval disarmament situation; there is not the slightest lack of
Harmony. Any rumor to the contrary has absolutely no basis."
  On the other hand, at the end of June an incident of considerable
significance occurred when some sixty high ranking officers of the
Japanese Combined Fleet which was at the time engaged in naval
maneuvers off Kyushu addressed a joint communication through the
Commander in Chief of the Fleet to Admiral Osumi, Minister of
the Navy, to Admiral Kanji Kato, member of the Supreme Military
Council, and to Fleet Admiral Prince Hiroyasu Fushimi, Chief of the
Naval General Staff, expressing the will of the fleet with regard to
the forthcoming naval conference next year. The two main points,
as quoted in the press were as follows:
  1. It is most desirable that in facing the 1935 naval disarmament
conference Japan, in order to liberate herself from the existing
treaties, should serve notice of the abrogation of the Washington
Naval Treaty at the earliest opportunity which presents itself and
that strong unified measures should be taken immediately for securing
independent rights in national defence and establish the principle
of equality for armament rights.
  2. In order effectively to cope with the present important situation
it is most desired that a Cabinet should be organized which is capable
of removing internal political unrest immediately and administering
fair and strong policies with the whole-hearted confidence of the
entire nation.
  The significance of this unprecedented action is great in that it
reveals the difficulties with which the conduct of the nation's foreign
affairs by the Foreign Office is faced. While the control is being
wrested painfully and by slow degrees from the military in Japan
it is evident that the military die hard and that the spirit is as un-
yielding and adamant as ever. It is believed that this joint com-
munication was signed and transmitted by the superior officers of
the fleet-it was signed by those having the rank of Captain or
higher-in the fear that the younger officers might take more hasty
and less considered action. It must also be realized that this action
was taken in the face of the recent resignation of the Navy Depart-
ment's spokesman who was forced out because of his contravention

* Embassy's despatch No. 838 of June 14, 1934. [Footnote in the original;
despatch not printed.]



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