The Hull Note rejected every Japanese proposal and functioned as a final ultimatum. Had Japan released it publicly, global opinion might have shifted dramatically in Japan’s favor. Its non-disclosure remains a critical failure.

2017-06-17.
This is a continuation of the previous chapter.
Had the Hull Note been disclosed.
On November 26, the Hull Note was presented by the United States.
The Tojo Cabinet regarded the Hull Note as America’s final ultimatum.
What I regret most is why it was not released to the world.
Every Japanese proposal had been completely rejected in it.
Had it been made public, the entire world would undoubtedly have sympathized with Japan.
Failing to do so was one of the greatest mistakes of the Tojo Cabinet.
What made the situation unavoidable was that the Hull Note bypassed the so-called “Plan B,” and Hull himself had not been involved in drafting its contents.
The Hull Note was drafted by Harry Dexter White, Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Treasury.
After the war, it was revealed that he had been a Soviet spy.
The Soviet leadership had been promoting the “Snow Operation,” which aimed to eliminate Japan’s military threat by urging the United States to enter the war against Japan as quickly as possible (Sankei Shimbun, November 22, 1999).
Upon seeing the Hull Note, Japan was enveloped in a heavy atmosphere that the war had finally begun.
Reading the “Testimony” up to this point makes it clear how Tojo, depending on the actions of the other side, carefully deliberated and step by step selected and decided national policy.
He also clearly stated that the responsibility for the decision to go to war lay absolutely not with the Emperor.
Ensuring that the Emperor would not be subjected to the Tokyo Trials was Tojo’s greatest wish.