740.00119 Control (Japan)/10–246: Telegram
The Political Adviser in Japan (Atcheson) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 2—3:59 p.m.]
439. Subject of Jap demobilization board which has been charged with and has effected demobilization of some 6 million Jap soldiers was discussed Allied Council meeting this morning at request of Soviet member. During discussion Soviet member alleged some members of board are war criminals, research section of board engages in illegal intelligence activities and in effect alleged that SCAP in continuing operation of board was actually continuing existence and activities of Jap General Staffs.
There follows excerpt from verbatim minutes of the meeting which includes my extemporaneous response to Soviet allegations:
The Chairman: I believe that at the last meeting I made some inquiries as to the purpose the Soviet member had in mind in placing this subject on the agenda. I think that now at long last, we have learned what his purpose was. I believe I mentioned also at the last meeting that it is stipulated in one of the basic directives that the Supreme Commander shall utilize Japanese personnel for purposes of the occupation. It is stipulated in one of the basic directives that the machinery of the Japanese Govt shall be utilized to the extent that this furthers the purpose of the occupation. Certainly, for the purposes of demobilization, it was necessary and practicable to utilize personnel which had formerly been military and naval personnel and who could be expected to know how to do the job. These people in the demobilization board have themselves been demobilized. They are now in civilian status and have been for a long time. If there is any evidence that any of them should be charged with being war criminals, the Supreme Commander would be very glad to receive such evidence. If any member has any concrete evidence of any illegal or improper activities on the part of the demobilization bureaus or the divisions, or sections or members, the Supreme Commander would be very glad to receive such evidence. Every act of the officials of the demobilization board is under constant surveillance and check. The Soviet member mentions a certain anxiety in regard to them and their activities. I must say that the only anxiety I have felt has been that they would not be able to finish their job. As a matter of fact, if the Soviet authorities had been willing to repatriate the 800,000 or a million Japanese soldiers in their hands as part of our general repatriation program, the activities of the demobilization bureaus would now be drawing to a close. As it now stands, if the schedule recently proposed by the Soviet authorities for repatriation of prisoners of war in their hands [Page 325] at the rate of from 15 to 25,000 a month is carried out, the demobilization bureaus will have to remain in existence for at least another year. I would like to repeat again, that if any member has any evidence of illegal activities on the part of any members of the bureaus—demobilization bureaus—on the part of the bureaus or their agencies, the Supreme Commander would be very glad to have it. It is my recollection that on a number of occasions at meetings of the Council, charges and allegations have been made against agencies of the Japanese Govt or officials of the Japanese Govt. It is my recollection that on every such occasion I have endeavored to make it clear that if any member has any evidence to support such allegations—any concrete evidence—the Supreme Commander would be very glad indeed to have it. It is also my recollection that in no such instance has any member ever presented any evidence whatsoever in support of the allegations in question.
As regards the question of the research bureau, I may say by way of explanation that that bureau undertakes research at the specific instruction of General Headquarters. Its purpose is to undertake research into such matters as the location and former activities of military units. I see no connection between it and the recent commission for the investigation of war causes. Since the Soviet member has mentioned it, I may say that his statement that the commission has been dissolved [is correct]. I may further say that the Jap Govt dissolved the commission on its own initiative in view of the criticism directed against it by the Soviet member and the British Commonwealth member,—
Mister Ball: Good.
The Chairman: And in order to avoid further misrepresentation of its purposes.
Mister Ball: Mister Chairman, do you imply that you personally regret its dissolution?
The Chairman: I may say that General MacArthur’s attitude toward it, and my attitude toward it, have not changed.
As regards the statement of the Soviet member that in continuing the operation of these demobilization bureaus for their various purposes which include demobilization, repatriation, care of widows and orphans [—] in regard to his statements indicating that we are thus actually supporting a camouflaged Jap General Staff, I would say that this to me is a most surprising statement. In fact—
(Soviet interpreter requests pause for translation.)
The Chairman: In fact it is a fantastic statement. It should be just as fantastic if some misguided and propaganda-minded person should make the ridiculous allegation that the 800,000 or so Japanese [Page 326] soldiers in Soviet hands have been retained for the purpose of developing a secret army.
Again and as usual British Commonwealth member sided with Soviet member by remarking he was glad that I had branded as untrue allegations in question in regard to Soviet member’s staff and in regard to Soviet utilization of Japanese prisoners of war in their hands.