den 20. August 1914

Schreiben des japanischen Botschafters an Grafen Berchtold

Schreiben des japanischen Botschafters an Grafen Berchtold1

W i e n ,   den 20. August 1914      

A

    M o n s i e u r   l e   C o m t e !  
No doubt your Excellency have already been informed by His Excellency Baron Müller of the nature of the communication made to the German Government by my Government on the 15th inst.; but for your Excellencys [sic] personal information, I beg to enclose therewith a copy of a telegram received from Tokio [sic] on the subject, although I have no instruction to do so.
Yours sincerely

(gez.)   A i m a r o   S a t o      

B

The Japanese Government, taking into serious consideration the present situation, and as the result of full communication with the British Government for the purpose of consolidating and maintaining the general peace in the regions of Eastern Asia which forms one of the objects of the Anglo­Japanese alliance, have come to the decision of taking the necessary measures therefore in common with Great Britain; but before taking such measures, the Japanese Government thought it proper to once approach the German Government with a friendly advice which was communicated to them to the following effect on the 15th of August 1914.
1. All German vessels of war to be immediately withdrawn from the waters in the neighbourhood of Japan and China. The vessels which cannot be so withdrawn, to be disarmed.
2. The German Government to deliver, unconditionally and without compensation to the Japanese authorities[,] the entire leased territory of Kiau­Chau before the 16th of September 1914, for the purpose of returning it to China.
The Japanese Government have declared to the German Government that unless their reply of unconditional acceptance of the above advice should be received before noon of Sunday the 23rd instant, the Japanese Government shall take such action as they deem necessary.
It is sincerely hoped that the above advice, with such ample allowance of time for reply, may be accepted by the German Government; but should, unfortunately, the German Government not accept the advice of the Japanese Government the latter will be obliged to take the necessary measures in order to accomplish their object.
The reason that led the Imperial Government to assume the present attitude is, as already mentioned, none other than to safeguard the common interests of Japan and Great Britain mentioned in the Anglo­Japanese alliance by consolidating the foundation of permanent peace in the regions of Eastern Asia, and the Japanese Government have no intention whatever of embarking on a policy of territorial expansion or any other design of selfinterest [sic]. Consequently, the Imperial Japanese Government are resolved to respect, with the utmost care, the interests of third powers in Eastern Asia and not in the least to injure them.

1Vgl. Österreichisch-ungarisches Rotbuch, Nr. 66.     (Zurück)

Return to World War I Document Archive

Comments, corrections and suggestions are welcome: Richard Hacken (Hacken @ byu.edu).

The World War I Document Archive
on the server of the Brigham Young University Library
has been visited times since February 1996 .

Last updated: July 2001.