Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, China and Japan, Volume XIV, Part 2

S/S–NSC files, lot 63 D 351, NSC 125 Series

No. 582
Memorandum by the Joint Chiefs of Staff to the Secretary of Defense (Wilson)¹

top secret

Washington, 28 July 1952.

Subject:

• United States Objectives and Courses of Action with Respect to Japan

1. This memorandum is in response to your memorandum of 21 July 1952 in which you requested the comments and recommendation of the Joint Chiefs of Staff with respect to the draft statement of policy by the National Security Council Staff on the above subject, contained in NSC 125/1.²

2. The Joint Chiefs of Staff concur in those matters in the draft statement of policy having military implications. However, they consider it appropriate to submit the following comments dealing primarily with the implementation of this policy.

3. The Joint Chiefs of Staff attach the highest importance to the proposed courses of action, set forth in subparagraph 7 b of NSC 125/1,³ designed to assist Japan in developing the military forces which will be capable of assuming responsibility for defense of Japan against external aggression and in developing the military capabilities for participating in the defense of the free nations of the Pacific area. The early attainment of these objectives will, among other things, serve the two-fold purpose of:

a. Largely redressing the imbalance of military power now existing in the Far East; and

b. Relieving the United States of the burden of stationing large military forces in and about Japan for its defense.

4. The Joint Chiefs of Staff recognize that the development of Japan’s military potential and her continuing Western orientation will be greatly influenced by the state of her economic well-being and that this in turn will be significantly affected by Japan’s ability to retain access to her historic markets and the sources of food and raw materials in Southeast Asia. Viewed in this context, United States objectives with respect to Southeast Asia and United States objectives with respect to Japan would appear to be inseparably related. Moreover, the Joint Chiefs of Staff are of the opinion that Japan’s security and Western orientation are of such importance to the United States position in the Pacific area that (1) in the implementation of NSC 125/1 and NSC 124/2 (United States Objectives and Courses of Action with Respect to Southeast Asia) the United States must take into full account Japan’s dependence upon Southeast Asia for her economic well-being; and (2) the loss of Southeast Asia to the Western World would almost inevitably force Japan into an eventual accommodation with the Communist-controlled areas in Asia.

For the Joint Chiefs of Staff:

Omar N. Bradley

Chairman

1. Attached to a covering note dated Aug. 1 to the NSC, from its Acting Executive Secretary, Hugh D. Farley.
2. See Document 579.
3. Identical to subparagraph 7b in NSC 125/2, Document 588.