(BOMBING OF PEARL HARBOR) SABURO KURUSU

(BOMBING OF PEARL HARBOR) SABURO KURUSU
(1886-1954) Japanese diplomat, tried to negotiate peace with the United States while the Japanese government under Hideki Tojo was secretly preparing an attack on Pearl Harbor. As Imperial Japan's ambassador to Germany, he also signed the Tripartite Pact along with the foreign ministers of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. Historic S.P., 8.5 x 6.5 in., a press photograph showing Kurusu and the Japanese ambassador to the United States after meeting with Secretary of State Cordell Hull on Dec. 5, 1941 - two days before the attack on Pearl Harbor. Signed in bold black ink at the lower-right corner. Original press paper tag still present on the verso. Some creases, else very good. Negotiations between Japan and the United States took place for weeks before Pearl Harbor, with Roosevelt demanding that Japan withdraw its troops from China and sever its Axis ties before trade negotiations could occur between the two nations. Kurusu reviewed the demand and replied, 'If this is the attitude of the American government, I don't see how an agreement is possible. Tokyo will throw up their hands at this.' For the next three weeks, Kurusu and Ambassador Nomura continued to confer with Hull while awaiting Japan's reply to Roosevelt's proposal. On the afternoon of December 7, Kurusu delivered their official reply, breaking relations and closing: 'The Japanese Government regrets to have to notify hereby the American government that in view of the attitude of the American Government, it cannot but consider that it is impossible to reach an agreement through further negotiations.' At that moment, the bombing of Pearl Harbor had commenced.