740.00119 Control (Japan)/4–1346
Memorandum by the State–War–Navy
Coordinating Committee to the Secretary
of State
top secret
SWN–4149
Washington, 13 April 1946.
Subject: Treatment of the Institution of the Emperor of
Japan.
| References: |
a. SWNCC 209/D |
|
b. SWNCC 209/159 |
By informal action on 11 April 1946, the State–War–Navy Coordinating
Committee approved SWNCC 209/1 after
amending.
A copy of the revised approved paper is forwarded herewith for
information.
It is requested that the State Department forward the attached copy
number 68 to the United States Representative on the Far Eastern
Commission for his guidance as a statement of the United States position
for appropriate use when the matter is raised in the Commission.60
In approving this paper the Committee agreed that no part of this report
is to be released to the press.
Similar letters have been forwarded to the Secretaries of War and of the
Navy and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
For the State–War–Navy Coordinating Committee:
J. H. Hilldring
State Member, SWNCC
[Annex]
Report by the State–War–Navy Coordinating
Subcommittee for the Far East61
top secret
SWNCC
209/1
Treatment of the Institution of
the Emperor of Japan
the problem
1. To determine the United States position with regard to the
treatment of the imperial institution in Japan.
facts bearing on the
problem
2. See Appendix “A”.62
[Page 200]
discussion
3. See Appendix “B”.62a
conclusions
4. It is concluded that:
- a.
- The United States, as a republic, would favor the creation
of a republican form of government in Japan, if that were
the wish of the Japanese people. However, although the
Japanese are showing a willingness to eliminate the most
objectionable aspects of the imperial institution, it seems
evident that the great majority will be unwilling to
eliminate the institution entirely. The Supreme Commander,
therefore, should not take the initiative in advocating its
complete elimination.
- b.
- A monarchical form of government in Japan, if so modified
as to be a peaceful and responsible constitutional monarchy,
would be consistent with American objectives in Japan. Since
the creation of such a constitutional monarchy appears to
have the support of the vast majority of Japanese, the
Supreme Commander should give aid to Japanese efforts to
transform the imperial institution in Japan into a
constitutional monarchy.
- c.
- The Supreme Commander should not force the Japanese people
into an immediate decision regarding the ultimate role of
the imperial institution in Japan, since more time for
consideration of the problem should permit the development
in Japan of a more liberal and enlightened attitude
regarding the imperial institution.
- d.
- The following are certain specific reforms connected with
the imperial institution which, in addition to the purely
political reforms treated in SWNCC 228,63 are
considered desirable. Many of these reforms have already
been accomplished in whole or in part by the Supreme
Commander for the Allied Powers, but in so far as they have
not been made, he should call them to the attention of the
Japanese Government. He should not order the Japanese
Government to effect any of these reforms, unless the
Japanese Government has clearly shown its unwillingness to
act in these matters.
- (1)
- Article I, III and IV of the Constitution should
be changed in wording and in spirit so as to
eliminate the implications that the imperial line is
divine and so as to have it made clear that the
Emperor is under the Constitution.
- (2)
- The use of public schools for teaching the
divinity of the imperial line and for inculcating a
sense of blind devotion to the Emperor should not be
permitted, statements or implications of the divine
origin of the imperial line or the divinity of the
Emperor should be eliminated from textbooks, Shinto
Shrines housing portraits of the Emperor should be
banned from public school property, enforced
obeisance to the Emperor or to his picture should
not be permitted,
[Page 201]
and there should be no special
ceremonial connected with the handling of the
imperial rescript on education, if it is still read
in schools.
- (3)
- Extreme measures to keep the person of the Emperor
mysteriously distant from the public and veiled in
awesome secrecy should be abandoned.
- e.
- It is considered desirable for the Emperor to demonstrate
to his people that he is a human being not different from
other Japanese, that he himself, as he stated in the
imperial rescript of 1 January 1946, does not believe in the
divine origin of the imperial line or the mystical
superiority of Japan over other lands, and that there is no
such thing as the “imperial will” as distinct from
government policy. In so far as these objectives have not
been completely realized, the Supreme Commander should
influence the Emperor to continue voluntarily to demonstrate
these points to his people. Specific measures the Emperor
could take would be to mix more freely and on terms of
greater equality with foreigners and Japanese and to make
whatever further pronouncements regarding the origin of the
imperial line, the equality of all races and the true nature
of the “imperial will” that he is willing to make. …
recommendations
5. It is recommended that:
- a.
- This report be forwarded to the Joint Chiefs of Staff by
the State–War–Navy Coordinating Committee for comment from a
military point of view.
- b.
- After approval of the conclusions in paragraph 4 above by
the State–War–Navy Coordinating Committee
- (1)
- The report be forwarded to the State, War and Navy
Departments and the Joint Chiefs of Staff for
information.
- (2)
- The report be forwarded to the United States
Representative on the Far Eastern Commission for his
guidance as a statement of the United States
position for appropriate use when the matter is
raised in the Commission.
- c.
- No part of this report be released to the press.
