The Diplomatic Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Records of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (prewar records)

Division A (politics, diplomacy) / Type 1 (imperial foreign policy) / Item 3 (other nations) / Sub-item 1 (United States of America) / No.1 (Anthology of U.S.-Japan Diplomacy)

The core of Japanese records of U.S. - Japan negotiations held between April and December 1941 (immediately prior to the Pacific War) is the 21 volumes of documents in the 'Anthology of U.S.-Japan Diplomacy / U.S.-Japan Negotiations Related to Peace in the Pacific and Matters of East Asia' held by the Diplomatic Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Outlines of each document are presented below.

A.1.3.1.1-3
"Anthology of U.S.-Japan Diplomacy / U.S.-Japan Negotiations Related to Peace in the Pacific and Matters of East Asia (including messages of Prime Minister Konoe" - 19 volumes

(1) Volumes 1-6 "By Date"
Contains a record of documents (e.g. telegrams) related to negotiations, from instructions given to Kichisaburo Nomura, Ambassador to the United States of America, by Yosuke Matsuoka, Minister of Foreign Affairs, at the time of ambassador’s departure for the United States, until the commencement of the Pacific War, and being a record employed as the basis for the compilation 'U.S.-Japan Diplomatic Documents, U.S. - Japan Negotiations, 1941'. Does not include all telegrams related to negotiations.

(2) Volumes 7-10 "Progress of Negotiations"
Files related to U.S. - Japan negotiations were burnt at the end of the Pacific War, however at that time, related documents held by the relevant section of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were passed to the Records Group. All records were subsequently requisitioned by the International Prosecution Section (IPS) of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East (commonly referred to as ‘the Tokyo Trials’), however when the Records Group submitted a request for return of the documents to the IPS via the Allied Translation and Interpreting Service (ATIS) at GHQ, copies made by the Allies, and part of the originals, were returned on December 10th, 1949. Furthermore, on February 1st, 1950, approximately half of the originals were returned, and the documents in both returns were then compiled together. The compilation therefore does not include all the documentation related to negotiations (see ‘Cautions’ in the preface to Volume 7, (Reference code: B02030724300)). Documents returned by the IPS include not only the above, but also Volumes 1-6 (by date) noted above. Documents particularly relevant to the negotiations are filed by date, and are in a variety of formats including typed Japanese, hand-written, and typed English.

(3) Volumes 11-14 "Reference Materials"
A file of official records of U.S.-Japan negotiations prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The file contains an 'Outline of Progress’ prepared for internal use during the negotiations, as well as further material such as 'Diplomatic Reference Materials – Details of U.S. - Japan Negotiations' (February 28th, 1946) by the Historical Materials Compilation Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and 'Unpublished Telegraphic Communications of the Domei News Agency (August – October).

(4) Volumes 15 "Tone of Newspaper and Public Opinion"
Contains details of the tone of newspaper reports on U.S.-Japan negotiations at Surabaya and Batavia, and 'Tone of Foreign Newspapers in Relation to U.S. - Japan Negotiations' edited by the Foreign Affairs Intelligence Department, Section 5.

(5) Volumes 16 "Copies of Telegraphic Communications"
A file of copies of telegrams in the 'by date' file related to negotiations, and sent between July and December.

(6) Volumes 17 Diplomatic reference material being originals of "Records of U.S.-Japan Negotiations" (during the Konoe and Tojo Cabinets)
Originals of 'Records of U.S.-Japan Negotiations' compiled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and dated February 28th, 1946. This compilation was published on February 10th, 1978 by Harashobo Publishing as 'Reference Material on U.S.- Japan Negotiations' with bibliographical notes by Chihiro Hosoya

(7) Volumes 18-19 "First and Second Volumes of 'Details of U.S.- Japan Negotiations"
A record compiled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and dated July 1942. This Ministry of Foreign Affairs compilation was published on February 10th, 1978 by Harashobo Publishing as 'Reference Material on U.S.-Japan Negotiations' with bibliographical notes by Chihiro Hosoya.

A.1.3.1.1-3-1
'Anthology of U.S.-Japan Diplomacy / U.S.-Japan Negotiations Related to Peace in the Pacific and Matters of East Asia/Report on the Mission to the United States of America' ( by Kichisaburo Nomura, Saburo Kurusu) – one volume Contains the 'Report on the Mission to the United States of America' by Ambassador Nomura dated August 20th, 1942, and 'Report by Ambassador Kurusu' by Ambassador Kurusu dated June 5th, 1942.

A.1.3.1.1-3-2
‘Anthology of U.S.-Japan Diplomacy/U.S.-Japan Negotiations Related to Peace in the Pacific and Matters of East Asia/Special Report’ – bound, one volume
Contains intercepted telegrams between various ambassadors stationed in the United States and Great Britain etc and their respective home countries, and telegrams etc between the Chongqing Nationalist Government and overseas embassies and consulates.

A.1.3.1.1-4
'Anthology of U.S.-Japan Diplomacy / Collection of Primary Material Related to Diplomatic Relations with the United States of America' – two volumes
A collection of material related to U.S.- Japan diplomacy prepared by Section 1 of the American Bureau. Covers the primary published official documents, speeches, and statements related to the United States of America and Japan between July 1937 and August 1941.

A.1.3.1.1-8
'Anthology of U.S.- Japan Diplomacy/Brush and ink writings' – one volume
A chronicle of U.S.- Japan negotiations between August 21st, 1939 and December 8th, 1941 prepared by Consul Isoshi Asahi, and dated October 4th, 1944.

Division A (politics, diplomacy) / Type 7 (imperial foreign policy) / Sub-item 0 / No.9 (A document related to the Greater East Asia War)

A.7.0.0.9
'A Document Related to the Greater East Asia War' – one volume
Contains various documents subsequent to the commencement of the Pacific War. This document is included in 'Progress Immediately Prior to the Commencement of War Between the United States of America and Japan, and a Few Observations' which summarizes the progress up to commencement of the Pacific War.

A.7.0.0.9-2
'A Document Related to the Greater East Asia War / The Japan-French Indochina Joint Defense Treaty and the Occupation of French Indochina by the Imperial Army' – three volumes
Contains various documents (e.g. negotiations between the Vichy government and Japan) related to the occupation of Southern French Indochina in July 1941

A.7.0.0.9-2-1
'A Document Related to the Greater East Asia War / The Japan-French Indochina Joint Defense Treaty and the Occupation of French Indochina by the Imperial Army /Reactions (tone of newspaper and public opinion)' – one volume
Contains documents related to overseas reactions, primarily in South East Asia, to the occupation of Southern French Indochina.

A.7.0.0.9-2-2
'A Document Related to the Greater East Asia War / The Japan-French Indochina Joint Defense Treaty and the Occupation of French Indochina by the Imperial Army /Matters of Military Expenses of Occupation' – one volume
Contains documents related to an agreement on military expenses between Japan and the Vichy government in association with the occupation of Southern French Indochina.

A.7.0.0.9-2-3
'A Document Related to the Greater East Asia War / The Japan-French Indochina Joint Defense Treaty and the Occupation of French Indochina by the Imperial Army /The Japan-French Military Treaty' – one volume
Contains documents related to a field agreement between Japan and local French Indochinese authorities in association with the occupation of Southern French Indochina.

A.7.0.0.9-5
'A Document Related to the Greater East Asia War/Various National Attitudes / The Roberts Report' – one volume
President Roosevelt inaugurated the Roberts Commission on December 18th, 1941 under the stewardship of Owen Josephus Roberts, Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States of America, for the investigation and evaluation of the attack on Pearl Harbor. This document contains the Japanese translation of this report.

A.7.0.0.9-49
'A Document Related to the Greater East Asia War / Important National Decision Documents Directly Related to the Commencement of Hostilities (from the inauguration of the second Konoe Cabinet to the commencement of hostilities)' – two volumes
Contains documents related to Japanese national policy (and associated general detail), as determined at the Imperial Conferences and the Imperial General Headquarters and Government Liaison Conference up to the commencement of the Pacific War.

A.7.0.0.9-50
'A Document Related to the Greater East Asia War / Reference Materials on Preparations for War' – one volume
Contains various documents related to estimates of the situation both within Japan and overseas in the event of a Pacific War.

A.7.0.0.9-51
'A Document Related to the Greater East Asia War/A Collection of Important Items Related to Commencement of Hostilities' – one volume
Contains decision documents related to various measures (plans for termination of the war, administration in occupied territories) to be taken following commencement of hostilities

A.7.0.0.9-63
'A Document Related to the Greater East Asia War/A Bound Collection of Coded Telegrams from Ambassadors' – six volumes
Contains telegrams for ‘Ambassador’s Code’ encryption and sent by ambassadors from Japanese embassies overseas to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from immediately prior to the commencement of the Pacific War, and extending throughout the duration of the war. Telegrams from the embassy in the United States of America related to U.S.-Japan negotiations are contained in Volumes 1 - 3.

Division M (government organization, government posts) / Item 1 (appointment and dismissal, rewards and punishments, pensions etc) / Sub-item 0 / No.13 (Anthology of Matters Related to Appointment and Dismissal of Ambassadors Resident Overseas)

M.2.1.0.13-6
'Anthology of Matters Related to Appointment and Dismissal of Imperial Ambassadors Resident Overseas/United States of America' – one volume
Contains documents related to appointment and dismissal of ambassadors to the United States of America. Includes a copy of credentials presented to President Roosevelt by Ambassador Nomura on his appointment, and a report related to discussions held on the occasion.

Held by National Institute for Defense Studies of the Defense Agency

Important material related to the War Guidance Group of the Army Staff Office of the Imperial General Headquarters, describing development of various organizations within the Army Staff Office of the Imperial General Headquarters from approximately one year prior to the commencement of the Pacific War, is thought to be stored under the following five categories.

(1) Secret War Diaries (Showa Journals – 1)
(2) Minutes of the Imperial General Headquarters and Government Liaison Conference (Showa Journals – 2)
(3) A Bound Collection of Important National Policy Decisions (Showa Journals – 3)
(4) Minutes of the Imperial Conferences (Showa Journals – 4)
(5) Miscellaneous (‘A Bound Collection of Binder of respectful answers to Emperor's questions’ etc)

Material under these five categories was not presented as evidence at the International Military Tribunal for the Far East, and was thought to have been burned immediately prior to the end of the war together with secret documents of the Ministry of War and the General Staff Office. However, at the end of the war, Second Lieutenant Goichi Nakane, an officer responsible for general affairs at the Military Affairs Section of the Ministry of War obtained the permission of his superior Colonel Narutoshi Yamada and buried them in a drum near his house for safekeeping. At the end of 1945, Yamada requested that this material be passed to a Shiro Hara (formerly a colonel in the War Guidance Group) for safekeeping. To avoid pursuit of GHQ, Hara burned the covers of these documents, replacing them with titles such as 'Showa Journals – 1'

Subsequently, in December 1946, the Historical Research Department of the Ministry of Demobilization was established, and its personnel divided and stored the documents by year. In April 1953, the Historical Research Institute was established sponsored by Takushiro Hattori (formerly Colonel), and this material was collected and stored together by the Institute and used by Hattori in his Daitoa Senso Zenshi (A Complete History of the Great East Asia War, published in 1953 by Masushobo Publishing, and republished in 1971 by Harashobo Publishing). Subsequently, upon the death of Hattori, the material was transferred to the Military History Office of the Defense Agency (currently National Institute for Defense Studies of the Defense Agency) and is available for public reference.
Sections of 'Secret War Diaries' and 'Records of Deliberations of the Imperial General Headquarters and Government Liaison Conference' included in this material, and related to U.S.-Japan negotiations, have been photographed and used in this exhibition.

Central / Important National Policy Documents on War Guidance 1131
Group 20 of the General Staff Office (Section 15) 'Minutes of the Imperial General Headquarters and Government Liaison Conference, Volume 2 of 4, 28th November, 1940 – 29th July, 1941', Military History Department, National Institute for Defense Studies
Central / Important National Policy Documents on War Guidance 1171
Group 20 of the General Staff Office (Section 15) 'Minutes of the Imperial General Headquarters and Government Liaison Conference, Volume 3 of 4, 1st August, 1940 – 24th December, 1941', Military History Department, National Institute for Defense Studies

Commonly referred to as the 'Sugiyama Memo'. General Sugiyama recorded and checked the proceedings of the Imperial Conferences and the Imperial General Headquarters and Government Liaison Conference held during his term as Army Chief of the General Staff between 3rd October, 1940 and 21st February, 1944, and communicated these records to the head of the War Guidance Group (Group 20) at the Army Staff Office of Imperial General Headquarters. The head of the War Guidance Group made the necessary additions and corrections, and the records were then signed and sealed by Sugiyama, and stored. The originals, however, no longer exist, and the current documents are copies. These are thought to be the only records of the Imperial Conferences and the Imperial General Headquarters and Government Liaison Conference, and this 'memo' is therefore of great importance in following the discussions. Of the four volumes available, Volumes 1 and 2 pertaining to the period up to commencement of the Pacific War have been used in this exhibition.


Central / Important National Policy Documents on War Guidance 1128
Group 20 of the General Staff Office (Section 15) 'Secret War Diaries – 3, 18th April, 1941 – 7th December, 1941', Military History Department, National Institute for Defense Studies

A logbook in which details of daily operations were recorded by personnel (staff) of the War Guidance Group (Group 20) at the Army Staff Office of Imperial General Headquarters. Entries cover the period from 1st June, 1940 to 1st August, 1945. Entries were by Sataka Tanemura, Shiro Hara, Tokuo Nojiri, Keiji Tanaka, Etsuo Kangai, and Masakatsu Hashimoto. Since these Secret War Diaries are logbooks, they include many cases in which the personal interpretations and emotions of the writers are revealed clearly. Equivalent records showing changes in basic policy decisions for war guidance of Imperial Headquarters and the government are thought to be lacking for both the government and the Navy. Volume 3, covering the period of U.S.-Japan negotiations, has been used for this exhibition.

Held by the National Archives of Japan

Official Documents / Cabinet and Office of the Prime Minister / Council of State and Cabinet-related / Scripts signed by the Emperor (on or before 2nd May, 1947) /1941 / Imperial edicts

Declaration of War Against the United States of America and Great Britain – Scripts signed by the Emperor, 1941. Edict 1, on 8th February’ Scripts signed by the Emperor (goshomei genpon) are documents (e.g. the constitution, imperial edicts, laws, treaties, imperial ordinances, government ordinances) promulgated under the name of the Emperor and affixed with the imperial seal. This document contains an imperial edict declaring war on the United States of America and Great Britain.

Official Documents / Cabinet and Office of the Prime Minister / Council of State and Cabinet-related

"Type 1 – Official Documents, Appointment and Dismissal of Imperial Officials, 1890 – 1947" Volume 8, 1938 - 1940
"Type 1 – Official Documents, Appointment and Dismissal of Imperial Officials, 1890 – 1947" Volume 9, 1941 - 1943

Official Documents (kobun betsuroku) are records of important secret matters and events occurring between 1868 and 1947 edited according to the relevant ministries and agencies, and by year or by event. Documents related to ‘Appointment and Dismissal of Imperial Officials’ record the letter of appointment or dismissal of the imperial official (imperial officials were the highest of officials of high rank under the old system and were appointed with a letter of appointment signed personally by the Emperor, and as such include the Prime Minister, cabinet ministers, ambassadors, and ministers). These documents contain letters of appointment and dismissal between 1938 and 1943, and include those for ministers of the second Konoe Cabinet and the Tojo Cabinet, and for Ambassador Nomura.