Memoir by Prince Konoe:
The Secret Negotiations Between Japan and the United States Before Pearl Harbor

​On December 16, 1945, Prince Konoe committed suicide after refusing to collaborate with U.S. Army officer Bonner Fellers in "Operation Blacklist." His refusal to exonerate Emperor Hirohito and the imperial family of war crimes responsibilities. A week before he took the cyanide, he wrote a memoir regarding his experience governing Imperial Japan during World War 2. 

Although Prince Fumimaro Konoe was born into one of the most ancient and noble families of Japan and was a descendant of the "Gosekke"(fiver regent families), he faced poverty at 14 after his father passed away. He was then groomed by his uncle Prince Saionji Kinmochi, who was a Prime Minister at the time, for an essential role in government. By 1937, Prince Konoe became the Prime Minister of Imperial Japan, during a time when Japan had occupied Manchuria. At the age of 46, Prince Konoe was the second youngest Prime Minister in Japan's history. During his first year of being a Prime Minister, the "China Incident" happened, and the Sino-Japanese War raged on. 

The memoir shows many efforts of Prince Konoe's efforts for negotiations with Chinese and U.S. government officials to try to end the war early as well as his governing during a time of crisis during the Pacific Asia War. 

This book will include:
  • A biographical report of Prince Fumimaro Konoe by the Interim Research and Intelligence Service of the Research and Analysis Branch of the Department of State
  • His translated memoir
"The 'Prince Konoe Memoir, The Secret Negotiations Between Japan and the U.S. Before Pearl Harbor' is a must-read for followers of World War 2 hisotry, international diplomacy, and peace-making. It is the story of an effort over months in 1941 by Prime Minister Konoe to meet President Roosevelt to negotiate a peaceful relationship with the U.S.
In his memoir, Prince Konoe, three times Japan's Prime Minister between 1937 and 1941, was direct - often matter of fact and philosophical - in his revelations of the political mindset and pressures inside a Japan at war. He wrote his memoir one week before his suicide in December 1945, after months in the post-war Japanese cabinet, working in coordinating with General MacArthur and his staff."
--U.S. AMBASSADOR MICHAEL USSERY (RET.)

What Did Konoe Do to Prevent Pearl Harbor?

During the summer of 1941, Konoe made several attempts through Ambassador Grew to improve relations with the United States. On August 18th, 1941, Foreign Minister Toyoda secretly submitted a proposal to Ambassador Grew, suggesting that Prince Konoe and President Roosevelt meet. Konoe offered to go to Honolulu, an unprecedented step in Japanese history. ​

​​According to Ambassador Grew, Konoe was fully aware of the objections to this move in certain parts of his country. Knowledge, though not content, of the proposal, leaked out and revealed to the pro-Axis and extremist elements in Japan that Prince Konoe had taken the initiative in what was obviously a conciliatory move, at a time when indignation against America was high. Consequently, there were fears of an attempt on Konoe’s life. In spite of these risks, the Prince kept pressing Grew for a meeting with President Roosevelt.

Konoe's Conversation with Japan War Minister on October 14, 1941 from Konoe's memoir:

I said: "I have a serious responsibility for the China Affair which has lasted four years and has not yet been concluded. I cannot agree to plunge into a great war whose outcome is uncertain. At this point, we should temporarily yield to the U.S., let the country have its form of troop withdrawal, and stave off the danger of an American-Japanese war. I also consider it necessary to bring the China Affair to a conclusion, which would add to the rational power of this country. While the development of national fortunes is desirable, in order to obtain great expansion, it is often necessary to yield to others and build national power."

The War Minister disagreed, saying: “If we yield to the U.S. now, they will become more ​arrogant and overbearing. Regarding troop withdrawal, you say the name shall be abandoned and the substance is taken, but I disagree from the standpoint of maintaining morale.” The talk with the War Minister was unproductive and, when the Cabinet conference began, he vociferously dwelt on the reasons for discontinuing American-Japanese negotiations.

What Did Konoe Do After Japan's Surrender?

After the surrender, General MacArthur wanted Prince Konoe to come forward and lead a revision of the constitution and other reform, as well as starting a new political party. Konoe agreed to form a committee to revise the constitution. After the Americans occupied Japan, Konoe refused to collaborate with U.S. Army officer Bonner Fellers in “Operation Blacklist” to exonerate Hirohito and the imperial family of criminal responsibility. In December 1945, Konoe consumed potassium cyanide and committed suicide. A week before he committed suicide, he wrote this memoir.
Want to learn more about Pearl Harbor, U.S. - Japan relationship, and WW2? Get a copy of ​Konoe's memoir here.

Timeline of Konoe's Life

Click here to read our blogpost on the timeline of Konoe's life.

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The Timeline of Prince Konoe's Life