Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, Japan, Volume XXIII, Part 1

116. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, February 4, 1957¹

Washington, February 4, 1957

SUBJECT

• Various Matters Relating to Japan

PARTICIPANTS

• The Secretary
• Mr. Douglas MacArthur, II, Counselor
• Mr. Walter S. Robertson, Assistant Secretary
• Mr. William J. Sebald, Deputy Assistant Secretary
• Mr. Howard P. Jones, Deputy Assistant Secretary
• Mr. William V. Turnage, Deputy Director, OFD
• Mr. Howard L. Parsons, Director, NA

1. Invitation to Prime Minister Tanzan Ishibashi to visit the United States.

Mr. MacArthur reported that during a conversation with President Eisenhower at 10:30 on February 4² the President had concurred in the idea of extending an invitation to the Japanese Prime Minister to visit the United States some time in May. Mr. MacArthur further reported that the President had concurred in his suggestion that it would be a good idea for Mr. MacArthur to be given the opportunity of personally issuing the invitation to the Prime Minister shortly after his arrival in Japan.³

2. Japanese War Criminals.

Mr. MacArthur added that he had discussed the principle of release of Japanese war criminals with the President, indicating that the Secretary of State is working on a formula which should succeed in early release of the eighty remaining Japanese war criminals in a manner consistent not only with United States political objectives in Japan but also with the treaty and legal procedures which have been observed in the past. He commented that he had not discussed any of the details of the specific proposal. He indicated, however, that the President was sympathetic with the view that this problem in United States-Japanese relations should be eliminated.⁴

3. Mr. Clarence Randall’s proposal for a meeting among Par Eastern Countries to discuss Economic Interdependence and Development between Japan and Free Asia.

It was the general consensus that benefits would be derived by the United States and Asian countries if Mr. Randall’s suggestion of fuller cooperation among the Asian countries could be implemented. It was felt, however, that a great amount of staff work and study would be required before it is possible to have a meaningful meeting with Asian countries on this topic. There was some question as to whether a meeting of Asian nations at any time could be productive in this field.

Although Japan’s attempts at the development of a regional approach to Far Eastern economic interrelations were undertaken by means unpalatable to the United States and other Asian countries, namely conquest and domination, the fact of the planning and execution of their plans must of necessity have left a large volume of knowledge in Japan about the specific economic aspects of regional cooperation. This knowledge could be beneficial at the present time in evaluating the proposal which Mr. Randall has set forth. Accordingly, it was decided to answer Mr. Randall’s letter of January 22⁵ along the following lines:

The idea of working toward greater regional cooperation would be endorsed. Reference would be made to the fact that Japanese thinking on the topic should provide a great deal of information to the United States in developing the evaluation and thinking in the United States Government on the problem and proposals which might be used in solving the problem. Since Mr. MacArthur will be arriving in Japan very shortly, it seems desirable to have him work with Mr. Frank Waring⁶ in approaching the Japanese Government informally and confidentially, to learn more about the ways and means of developing meaningful proposals.⁷

4. Continuing Problems Connected with Japanese Textile Imports into the United States.

Mr. Robertson pointed out that the recent discussions between the United States and Japan had culminated in the announcement by Japan of a wide range of export quotas for 1957. However, on the day of the announcement of these quotas, additional legislative proposals had been introduced in both the States of South Carolina and Georgia designed to discriminate against the imports of cotton textiles from Japan. This action, coupled with the expectation by the Japanese that their action would solve the textile problem, has put the Japanese Government in an exceedingly difficult position and can well have serious repercussions involving a great many other aspects of United States-Japanese relations. The Secretary was asked to urge again the Attorney General to institute legal action against State laws which came into being in South Carolina and Alabama last year. The Secretary asked for full information on the reaction in Japan to the State laws to provide a basis for a further approach to the Attorney General.

5. Nuclear Weapons in Japan.

Mr. MacArthur expressed a fear that political developments in Japan, particularly the struggle between the Socialist and the Liberal-Democratic party members, could lead to an insistence by the Japanese that the United States make clear its position on the extent to which the Japanese Government will be consulted prior to the introduction of more advanced nuclear weapons into Japan.

The Secretary expressed a desire if possible to continue on our present basis with the Japanese, [remainder of paragraph (9 lines of source text) not declassified]

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 033.9411/2–457. Secret. Drafted on February 5 by Parsons. The source text bears the typed notation: “Informal—Not cleared by the Secretary”.
2. No memorandum of this discussion has been found in Department of State files.
3. Tanzan Ishibashi resigned on grounds of health on February 23 and Nobusuke Kishi succeeded him on February 25. MacArthur therefore tendered the invitation to Kishi instead. See Document 122.
4. By February 11, the Department had reached internal agreement on a proposal whereby war criminals would be released upon the recommendation of “a responsible and non-political board, established by the Japanese Government, after review of all pertinent facts in the case, including the trial record.” The proposal called also for the abolition of the Clemency and Parole Board. (Undated draft memorandum to the President attached to a memorandum by Pfeiffer of a conversation held February 11 between Robertson and Lieutenant General Alonzo P. Fox; Department of State, Central Files, 694.0026/2–1157) Interagency resolution of the proposal did not come for several months; see Document 176.
5. Not found.
6. Frank A. Waring, Economic Counselor of the Embassy in Tokyo.
7. No copy of the letter as actually sent has been found.