Japanese Embassy Counselor's Offer to Schedai, 1 December 1941

No. 526 195/139265

The ambassador in Italy to the Foreign Ministry

Telegram

TOP SECRET                                                                               

ROME, December 1, 1941-8:10 p.m.
No. 3135 of December 1; Received December 1-8:50 p.m.

With reference to my report No. 61/41 g of November 26. [This report (41/28612) dealt with an offer of support which the Japanese Counselor of Embassy had made to Schedai, who directed Indian activities in Rome (see document No.379).]

The Indian, Schedai, has stated that the Japanese Counselor of Embassy [Yoshiro Ando] here told him, after receiving the corresponding instruction from Tokyo that the Japanese Government intended to engage in fruitful cooperation with the Indian liberation movement and was willing to issue a declaration concerning Indian independence immediately after the outbreak of war between Japan and Great Britain. Schedai also stated that his cooperation with the Japanese Embassy here would in particular concern active efforts of the Indian colonies in East Asia, in which regard he always wanted, of course, to defer to any wishes Germany might have. Schedai added that the Japanese Counselor of Embassy had told him several times very clearly that Japan's entry into the war was imminent. [In the files there is the draft of a telegram of Dec. 8 (195/139271-72) Woermann informing the Embassy in Japan of the substance of this document with the instruction to inform the Japanese Government that it seemed most desirable to Germany "that a Japanese declaration regarding Indian independence should be coordinated with us and Italy with respect to content as well as time."]

MACKENSEN

From: US Department of State. Documents on German Foreign Policy, 1918-1945. Series D (1937-1945). Vol. XIII. The War Years June 23- December 11, 1941. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1964, 909-910.