I thought it better to make the foregoing note of the conversation I had with the Japanese Consul-General on the afternoon of the 5th November.¹

As arranged with you, I spoke on the 6th inst. to Mr. Archer and Mr. Colladay and told them about the Japanese request for our good offices towards establishing official contact. I asked both of them to let us know what they wished us to do 'if anything', and I made it clear to both of them that apart from this question of the establishment of the initial contact, we didn't want to be brought into the matter at all and, in our view, there was no reason why we should be. Both said they would speak to their respective chiefs and let us know. Mr. Archer said that we need not speak to the French. As was indicated in Mr. Gray's Note, the four powers concerned in the Japanese surrender were the United States, Britain, China and Soviet Russia, and Britain and America had been deputed to take over the Japanese property and archives in this country.

I should be glad if you would look at what is said on the subject of publicity in the final paragraph of the note of my conversation with Mr. Beppu. Quite apart from the embarrassment likely to be caused by unofficial reports, the desirability of avoiding any impression that we are pushing out the Japanese Consul or obliging him to close his Consulate is an argument in favour of issuing a statement on the lines suggested as soon as possible. I don't think we should say anything to the British or Americans before issuing it.