Intercepted, Decoded Message - November 28, 1941

This message was intercepted, and decoded, by the United States.  It was sent from Tokyo to Japan's emissaries in Washington - ten days before the Pearl Harbor attack.

[Secret]
 
From: Tokyo

To: Washington

November 28, 1941.

Purple (CA)

#844
 

Re your #1189 [a]


Well, you two Ambassadors have exerted superhuman efforts but, in spite of this, the United States has gone ahead and presented this humiliating proposal. This was quite unexpected and extremely regrettable. The Imperial Government can by no means use it as a basis for negotiations. Therefore, with a report of the views of the Imperial Government on this American proposal which I will send you in two or three days, the negotiations will be de facto ruptured. This is inevitable. However, I do not wish you to give the impression that the negotiations are broken off. Merely say to them that you are awaiting instructions and that, although the opinions of your Government are not yet clear to you, to your own way of thinking the Imperial Government has always made just claims and has borne great sacrifices for the sake of peace in the Pacific. Say that we have always demonstrated a long-suffering and conciliatory attitude, but that, on the other hand, the United States has been unbending, making it impossible for Japan to establish negotiations. Since things have come to this pass, I contacted the man you told me to in your #1180 [b] and he said that under the present circumstances what you suggest is entirely unsuitable. From now on do the best you can.

 
Army 25445

JD 6898    
                                        
Trans. 11-28-41 (S)
 
[a] S.I.S. # 25441, # 25442.

[b] S.I.S. # 25435, # 25436.
 

Credits

EXHIBITS OF JOINT COMMITTEE , EXHIBIT NO. 1 INTERCEPTED DIPLOMATIC MESSAGES SENT BY THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT BETWEEN JULY l AND DECEMBER 8, 1941

Online, courtesy U.S. National Archives.