740.0011 PW (Peace)/12–947
The Secretary of State to the Acting Political Adviser in Japan (Sebald)
No. 5
The Secretary of State refers to the Acting Political Adviser’s airgram No. 130, December 9, 1947,1 reporting that the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Hitoshi Ashida, had offered to provide the Diplomatic Section informally with a copy of certain studies made by [Page 649] the Ministry for Foreign Affairs with regard to the Japanese peace treaty, should the Diplomatic Section so desire. It is stated that Vice Minister Katsuo Okazaki, who presented the Foreign Minister’s offer, was informed that the receipt of such a document would be premature at this time, and the Department’s instructions are requested in the premises.
The Secretary of State approves the Acting Political Adviser’s decision not to receive the document. It is assumed that procedures for receiving the views of the Japanese Government on problems relating to the peace settlement will be determined by the Powers concerned at the peace conference. Until these procedures have been so determined it would be inappropriate for a representative of the United States Government to accept a document of this type from the Japanese Government or otherwise in his official capacity to show interest in Japanese Government thinking on treaty issues.
- Not printed.↩