Cable from Japanese Embassy in Havana to Tokyo

Transmitting from Havana 10/25/1962 13:58

Received in Tokyo 10/26/11:54

To Foreign Minister Ohira from Chargés d’affaires ad interim Kataoka

Re: The Cuban Reaction to the Announcement of the US blockade

1. The Cuban press briefly reported the content of President Kennedy’s announcement and then called this an act of unreasonable aggression by the US imperialists in a very critical tone. The revolutionary government put the entire county on wartime alert and moved on to take defensive measures by mobilizing the revolutionary army and parts of the militia and placing them where they should be.

2. On the night of the 23rd [of October], Prime Minister Castro made a public speech on TV. He concluded that the US naval blockade was piracy and a clear violation of international law. Cuba is firmly opposed to this action and if the US decides to embark on military intervention in this country, they would make an all-out effort to beat it. For this, all people should become united under the revolutionary government. He did not say anything about Soviet assistance, but declared that any inspections of Cuban bases by outsiders should not be allowed because it ignored Cuba’s sovereignty as an independent nation.  

3. The entire city looked a bit tense and threatening because of the increased number of armed militiamen on alert in the streets and the incessant loud radio broadcasts to uplift the morale of the nation through public speakers. The public here has stayed calm as usual and the Japanese here are living a normal life so far. International airlines have been suspended, with the exception of the Cuba-Soviet line, since the 23rd [of October].

This cable has been also transferred to the [Japan’s] Embassies in the US and Mexico.