740.00119 FEAC (Info)/3–1147: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Acting Political Adviser in Japan (Bishop)
84. FEC 11. Interim Principles for Restitution of Identifiable Property Confiscated in Japan from Allied Nationals. Policy paper of above title approved by FEC March 6.56 Permits SCAP to restore to nationals of members United Nations identifiable property tangible and intangible owned by them prior to outbreak of hostilities, provided owners are present in Japan or are religious or charitable institutions properly represented in Japan. For present, restoration of commercial and industrial enterprises limited to small-scale enterprises. China interprets “outbreak of hostilities” as July 7, 1937 and France as September 22, 1940. For other countries date is December 7, 1941.
Advance Transfers of Reparations. No progress made during past week due to non-arrival of instructions from USSR and UK.57
Supply of Food for Civilian Relief in Japan. For some months majority of members of FEC have been pressing for policy decision to be sent to SCAP as directive on supply of food for Japan. U.S. government willing to go only so far as to restate in composite form policies re food already sent to SCAP. Economic Committee of FEC insisted on inserting following paragraph “Supreme Commander should make it clear to Japanese people that many countries are suffering from dire shortage of foodstuffs largely due to Japanese aggression and in many countries devastated by Japanese diet of people is inferior to that of Japanese”. This has been unacceptable to U.S. government largely because of effect latter part of paragraph might have on efforts to obtain adequate appropriations from Congress for costs of occupation. U.S. government, however, consented to insertion of following clause in another part of paper “many of which (Allied Powers and liberated areas) suffer shortages of food largely due to Japanese aggression”. This compromise disliked by most members of FEC because contains no reference to inferior diet of some Asiatic countries to that of Japanese. However, it may be accepted as U.S. representative has thus far indicated that U.S. not disposed to go further in endeavoring to meet wishes of Commission in this matter. Representatives have referred matter to their governments.
- For text, see Activities of the Far Eastern Commission, p. 83. This was FEC–011/28, received from General McCoy with his letter of March 6 (740.00119 Control (Japan)/3–647). It was sent to SCAP as a directive in serial 73, March 22.↩
- For next report, see telegram 94 (FEC 12), March 18, 7 p.m., to Tokyo, p. 189.↩