ABSTRACT
THE first indication of a changing attitude in Tokyo came on 2nd February 1940, when the Japanese Government, through their Minister at The Hague, requested the Netherland Government to enter into discussions on the subject of trade between Japan and the Netherlands Indies and on that of the position of Japanese and Netherland subjects in the Netherlands Indies and Japan, respectively. Mr. Ishii handed a sketchy note to Dr. E.N.van Kleffens, Netherland Minister of Foreign Affairs, containing a number of demands and offers and drawn up in what might appear to be a scrupulously reciprocal manner. But those familiar with the facts and their history could perceive at first glance how much the dice were loaded on the Japanese side. The note, which had an unusual appearance and which was presented in a slightly different wording to the Netherland Minister at Tokyo on 8th March, read as follows:
I. MATTERS RELATING TO COMMERCE. (1) Japanese Side: (a) Japan is to refrain, as far as circumstances permit, from adopting any measure pro-
hibiting or restricting the exportation of its principal goods required by the Netherlands Indies. (It is to be understood that the exportation may sometimes be difficult for economic reasons.)
(b) Japan is to adopt such measures as deemed to be appropriate with a view to furthering the importation of goods from the Netherlands Indies.
