Memorandum from Joseph P. Walshe to Eamon de Valera (Dublin)
(Secret)

Taoiseach, Minister for External Affairs.
I asked Mr. Beppu, the Japanese Consul-General, to come to see me at 11.45 this morning. After the usual opening politenesses, I spoke to him without concealment about the incorrect behaviour of his Secretary, Mr. Ichihashi. Mr. Ichihashi had for a long time been causing us some worry. He had been keeping company with individuals whose attitude towards this State was entirely subversive. Mr. Beppu should know that was a state of things which no Government could tolerate. He realised, I was sure, how delicate our position was as a neutral State. No foreign Representative had the right to complicate that situation by any activities whatsoever and we had learned with great regret that, not only was Mr. Ichihashi in touch with Irish subversive elements for reasons best known to himself, but was also interested in the activities of a group of Indians in Dublin. Whatever interest or right the Japanese authorities or Representatives might have to deal with such groups in Japan or in Japanese-occupied territory, they certainly had no rights whatever in that matter in our country.¹

Mr. Beppu asked me whether we had any proofs for these statements, could we give him evidence.

I reminded him that this was not a police court, and we were acting in a friendly fashion towards him and his Government by telling him about these activities instead of taking more serious action. He would find, on questioning Mr. Ichihashi, that he had been, to say the least of it, very gravely imprudent and had departed from the norms of conduct which should govern the action of foreign representatives.

At this point, Mr. Beppu asked me whether it was the Irish Government directly that was concerned, or whether we were making this protest on the request of another Power.

I countered this offensive question by telling him that we were well able to look after our own business and would take no dictation from any foreign representative in regard to our attitude towards any other Government represented here. Mr. Ichihashi's conduct was offensive to the Irish Government, whatever his direct purpose may have been.

Mr. Beppu told me he would speak to his Secretary at once, but, before he went away, I told him that, on account of the general attitude of Mr. Ichihashi, I had begun to fear that his enterprise might go so far as the possession of a wireless transmitter.

Mr. Beppu said he would most certainly know that and he could not believe it for a moment.

Of course, Mr. Beppu must be fully au courant with all Mr. Ichihashi's activities and is probably the instigator of them. But I had to go on the assumption that he himself was perfectly correct. Indeed, I thanked him for the care and delicacy which had characterised his whole attitude in the very difficult situation through which we were all passing.