The discussions were between William Howard Taft, the United States Secretary of War and Count Katsura Tarō, the Japanese Prime Minister on 27 July 1905.
[1] The word "agreement" in the documents meant merely the two sides agreed that both the English and Japanese versions of the notes of the meeting accurately covered the substance of the conversations.
[2] When Dennett first discovered the notes, he assumed they indicated a highly-significant "secret pact" between the US and Japan in creating the basis of an agreement whereby the two formerly-isolationist nations became world powers.
Three significant issues were discussed during the meeting: Taft concurred that the establishment of a Japanese protectorate over Korea would directly contribute to stability in East Asia.
Firstly, Taft said to Katsura that some supporters of Russia in America were publicly claiming that the recent war was a prelude to certain aggression by Japan against the Philippine Islands.
[3] Thirdly, Count Katsura stated that because Korean autonomy had resulted in Korea improvidently entering into agreements and treaties with other powers, which had been the cause of international complications leading to the war between Japan and Russia.
The problem was Article 1: "There shall be perpetual peace and friendship between the President of the United States and the King of Chosen and the citizens and subjects of their respective Governments.
If other powers deal unjustly or oppressively with either Government, the other will exert their good offices on being informed of the case to bring about an amicable arrangement, thus showing their friendly feelings."