Council of Foreign Ministers Files: Lot M–88: CFM London Documents
Memorandum by the Chinese Delegation to the Council of Foreign Ministers
Allied Control Machinery in Japan
The Chinese Delegation were much interested yesterday in listening to the Soviet proposal32 to place questions relating to the control of Japan on the agenda of the present conference of Foreign Ministers and to the comments made by other delegations on it. Their own view is that in principle they see no difficulty in endorsing the proposal since it is their understanding that the Council of Foreign Ministers is competent to discuss any question which may be agreed upon by its members.
The questions relating to the control of Japan during the period of military occupation are certainly of great importance to peace and security in the Far East. At the same time, the Chinese Delegation realize that these questions are of wide range and complex in character. They are of the opinion that whether the conference of Foreign Ministers at this stage of its work can give them its full attention and whether it would be more advisable to take them up for discussion at another session, require careful consideration. They [Page 380] have no objection, however, to the questions being considered at this session if all the other delegations favour it.
In regard to the situation in Japan, the Chinese Delegation believe that the conditions under which General MacArthur has been working to carry out his mission are exceedingly difficult. He has to disarm an army of considerable size which remained intact at the time, and this task is still under way, though good progress has already been achieved. We share the view of the Soviet Delegation that the principal allied powers must take such political, economic, financial and other measures in Japan as will bring about the complete annihilation of Japanese militarism and the creation of conditions which would eliminate every possibility of a new aggression on the part of Japan. We were gratified to hear at Monday’s meeting a reaffirmation of this aim in the instructions of President Truman to General MacArthur referred to by Mr. Byrnes, although we on our part had entertained no doubt about it. For it was clearly outlined in the Potsdam Declaration of 26th July, 1945, addressed to Japan by China, the United States and the United Kingdom, and subscribed to by the Soviet Union.
But to achieve this purpose calls for the formulation of policies and devising of measures based upon the principles enunciated in the declaration. This task can be best accomplished by an Allied body composed primarily of the Powers which played a leading part in the war with Japan. Normally this body should be established in Japan. But in view of the special conditions under which the Allied military occupation of Japan has been effected and the fact that the disarming of the Japanese army in Japan has not yet been completed, the Chinese Government readily accepted the proposal of the United States Government to set up an Allied advisory body in Washington for the purpose. This acceptance was prompted by a desire to try a new experiment of Allied co-operation in the case of Japan in view of the problems confronting the inter-Allied Control Commission in the case of Germany.
This is, however, without prejudice, in the view of the Chinese Government, to the adoption of a new course of action if experience in the future should point to such a need. For this reason, the Chinese Government desires to see the aforesaid inter-Allied advisory body set up as soon as possible in order that inter-allied consultations on necessary measures of various kinds, such as political, economic, financial, etc., could be put into effect without delay. The results of such a procedure can be reviewed from time to time to determine whether it serves the united aim and purpose upon which the Allied Powers have agreed in regard to Japan, or whether a different type of control machinery should be set up in its place.