Office of the Historian

335. Memorandum of Conversation0

Washington, June 21, 1961, 3:15 p.m.

SUBJECT

  • Political Consultation

PARTICIPANTS

  • U.S.
    • The President
    • James J. Wickel—LS/I
  • Japan
    • Prime Minister Ikeda
    • Mr. Miyazawa, Member, House of Councillors, Japan

The Prime Minister advanced the request that the United States undertake to establish with the Japanese in Asia a relationship similar to that enjoyed by Britain, under which the two Governments consult continuously on foreign policy problems of common concern.

The President noted that the United States does indeed prize her good relations with Japan, especially since she and India play such influential roles in Asia. The United States does appreciate the advantages of consulting on foreign policy matters with the British. Therefore, the President agreed that the establishment of some form of consultative machinery between Japan and the United States would be mutually beneficial, particularly on such problem areas as China, Southeast Asia, Laos, Viet-Nam and any others which affect our mutual security in Asia and the Pacific.

The Prime Minister expressed his appreciation for past American aid to Japan as well as his hopes for cooperation in jointly devising a policy for Asia which would be responsive to the need for maintaining peace.

The President noted that our two governments had already agreed to establish a Joint Cabinet-level Economic Committee1 and a Committee [Page 693] for Scientific, Cultural and Educational Exchanges. Therefore, the President felt that it would be possible to establish consultative machinery, perhaps at the level of our Ambassadors, in the absence of other suggestions. Further, this consultative organization need not limit itself to Asian and Pacific problems, but could also consider global matters, such as Berlin.

Following discussions of other matters, the President said he had the impression that our two countries did agree to the desirability of developing consultative machinery to consider global matters of common interest, not merely those of the Asian-Pacific area.

To this the Prime Minister expressed great satisfaction, since, he indicated, he himself had been ready to request this type of bilateral consultation.2

  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.94/6-2161. Secret. Drafted by Wickel and approved in S on August 8 and by the White House on August 11. The time of the meeting, which was held aboard the Honey Fitz during a cruise on the Potomac River, is taken from Kennedy’s Appointment Book. (Kennedy Library) This is one of four memoranda of the private talk between Kennedy and Ikeda: the memoranda of discussion on economics and Sino-Japanese relations are Documents 336 and 337; the memorandum of the discussion on Berlin is not printed. (Department of State, Presidential Memoranda of Conversation: Lot 66 D 149)↩
  2. At a meeting between Rusk and Foreign Minister Kosaka also held aboard the Honey Fitz, at 3 p.m., Kosaka expressed appreciation for the U.S. proposal to set up this Committee and stated that the Japanese Government proposed to have six Cabinet members represent it on the Committee. He extended an invitation to have it meet in Tokyo some time during 1961. (Memorandum of conversation by Sneider; ibid., Secretary’s Memoranda of Conversation: Lot 65 D 330)↩
  3. At a meeting with Ikeda and a larger group of officials held that afternoon after the private talk, Kennedy reported on this discussion and expressed the intention of the United States “to consult whenever possible in advance with Japan, particularly in instances where there are serious threats to the international peace and where the interests of both countries are involved, in the same manner as we now consult with the British and the French.” (Memorandum of conversation by Sneider; ibid., Central Files, 611.94/7-1861)↩