Foreign Relations of the United States, 1948, The Far East and Australasia, Volume VI

761.94115/5–2748

Press Release Issued by SCAP at Tokyo, May 14, 1948, 1 p. m.¹

Tokyo, May 14, 1948, 1 p.m.

Statement Concerning Resumption of Repatriation From Soviet-Controlled Areas by Lt. Col. Ben L. Anderson, GSC, G–3 Repatriation Branch

On 14 April 1948 the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers received from the Acting Soviet Member, Allied Council for Japan notification that the current suspension of repatriation from Soviet-controlled areas, as imposed by the Soviets 1 December 1947, was to be terminated with the resumption of repatriation lifts from Soviet ports 3 May 1948. The letter requested SCAP-controlled shipping during the first 15 days of May to lift 14,000 repatriates from the Port of Nahodka (Siberia) and 10,500 repatriates from the Port of Maoka (Karafuto). The Soviet notification came as a reply to two previous SCAP letters dated 17 March 1948 and 13 April 1948 querying the Soviets as to the reopening of repatriation.

Again in a letter dated 30 April 1948, the Soviet authorities requested SCAP-controlled shipping to lift 12,000 repatriates from Nakhodka and 9,000 from Maoka during the last 15 days of May; this brings the number of Japanese for whom we may anticipate release from Soviet-controlled areas during the month of May 1948 to a total figure of 45,500.

In order to clarify any possible misunderstanding concerning the repatriation of Japanese nationals from Soviet-controlled areas, the following facts concerning the subject are reviewed:

Of the 6,606,996 Japanese estimated to be overseas at the conclusion of the war, 5,845,705 have been repatriated by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, in implementation of the Potsdam Declaration which stated inter alia: “The Japanese military forces, after being completely disarmed, shall be permitted to return to their homes with the opportunity to lead peaceful and productive lives.” This was later expanded for humanitarian reasons to include Japanese civilians overseas at the conclusion of hostilities. Of the estimated 761,291 remaining to be repatriated as of 7 May 1948, 692,423 are estimated as held by the U.S.S.R. in Soviet-controlled areas and 65,282 in those portions of Manchuria controlled by Chinese Communist forces. Retainees in these two areas comprise over 99% of all Japanese remaining to be repatriated. Mass repatriation from all other areas has been completed.

Repatriation from Manchuria is subject to the handicaps of a complete lack of communication with the Chinese Communist forces and the war-shattered transportation facilities in that area. However, SCAP stands ready to dispatch shipping to lift any increment of Japanese repatriates that the Chinese Nationalist Government is able to concentrate at ports still open, when such a lift is beyond the capabilities of Chinese shipping. Approximately 12,000 Japanese were lifted from the ports of Hulutao and Taku-Bar in October and November of 1947 under these conditions. At present the SCAP repatriation vessel Kaio Maru is scheduled to make a lift from Taku-Bar on 19 May 1948 of some 415 repatriates.

As of 1 December 1946, when mass repatriation had been virtually completed from all other areas, no Japanese had been repatriated from Soviet-controlled areas. Finally, culminating more than six months of extended negotiations, pursuant to an agreement signed 19 December 1946 by Maj. Gen. Paul J. Mueller, as, the representative of SCAP and Lt. Gen. K. N. Derevyanko, as the Member of the Allied Council for Japan from the U.S.S.R., repatriation of Japanese from specified Soviet ports was begun at an agreed rate of 50,000 per month. During the course of the above negotiations, SCAP-controlled shipping to lift up to 360,000 repatriates per month was offered. The figure finally agreed upon was the maximum acceptable to the U.S.S.R., and was limited by the use of smaller Soviet ports and the refusal of the Soviets to furnish any fuel oil for repatriation vessels. All shipping used in repatriation from Soviet-controlled areas is furnished and manned by the Japanese Government and all costs incident to repatriation are borne by the Japanese Government.

On 29 October 1947, a report on repatriation delivered in the Allied Council for Japan by the Deputy for the Supreme Commander and Chairman, Mr. W. J. Sebald, made an offer, in the name of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, to furnish shipping to lift up to 160,000 repatriates per month; it was revealed that SCAP had available, using Japanese sources only, the shipping, fuel (coal) and reception facilities to initiate this comprehensive repatriation program almost immediately. This offer is still outstanding but has been neither acknowledged or replied to by the Soviets.

The Acting Soviet Member replied to Mr. Sebald’s statement by stating that he considered the subject of repatriation outside the purview of the Allied Council for Japan and that the failure to repatriate 50,000 monthly since June 1947 should not be commented upon as the average over the entire period since December 1946 was slightly in excess of the 50,000 rate.

Approximately one month after SCAP’s offer to accelerate repatriation, the Acting Soviet Member, Allied Council for Japan, in a letter dated 2 December 1947 stated that repatriation would be suspended due to climatic and icing conditions from 1 December 1947 until the opening of navigation in April 1948. In this connection, the following correspondence and actions on the subject of this suspension are of interest:

a. SCAP replied to the Soviet suspension in a letter dated 10 December 1947 offering icebreakers to clear Soviet ports and stating that SCAP-controlled shipping could be dispatched to any other ports where “the difficult icing and climatic conditions” would not be encountered.

b. Contrary to the implication of their first letter, the Soviet authorities replied to SCAP’s offer of icebreakers in a letter dated 24 December 1947 which stated that the offer was unacceptable by reason of difficulties in assembling Japanese at the repatriation ports and the overloaded condition of the Soviet rail transportation system. It was stated that the decision to suspend repatriation would remain unchanged. No reply was made to SCAP’s offer to send shipping to other Soviet ports. The letter also stated that the monthly average as of that time approximated the 50,000 quota of the agreement.

c. In response to previous inquiries, Maj. Gen. A. P. Kislenko, Acting Member for the U.S.S.R., Allied Council for Japan, in a letter on April 5, 1948 to General Headquarters, SCAP, advised that Japanese repatriation from Soviet-controlled areas would be resumed in May instead of April as had been indicated initially by the Soviets. Gen. Kislenko stated that “due to unfavorable climatic conditions this year and also taking into consideration transportation and technical facilities, the repatriation would be resumed in May of this year.”

It appears from the Soviet request for 45,500 spaces during May 1948 that it is their intention to approximate but not fulfill the 50,000 quota of the SCAP–Soviet repatriation agreement of 19 December 1946, at least for the first month after the resumption of repatriation. However, in the Allied Council for Japan meeting of 29 October 1947 and in the Soviet letter of 24 December 1947 the Acting Soviet Member, Maj. Gen. A. P. Kislenko, indicated that he considered that the SCAP–Soviet repatriation agreement had been fulfilled if the average monthly rate of repatriation since December 1946 met the 50,000 figures. As of 1 May 1948 this monthly average is 37,500 and monthly lifts considerably in excess of the 50,000 figure will be necessary to redeem the 50,000 average.

It is noted that during the month of April 1947 some 58,000 Japanese were repatriated through the ports of Nakhodka and Maoka, the first vessels leaving both ports 3 April 1947.

The SCAP offer to lift up to 160,000 repatriates monthly, as made in the Allied Council for Japan meeting of 29 October 1947 remains open. To date the Soviets have never made a specific reply to this offer.

In preparation for resumption of repatriation from Soviet-controlled areas, the Japanese Government, under the supervision of SCAP, has prepared reception facilities to receive and process up to 160,000 repatriates monthly. Food and clothing to accommodate this number of repatriates monthly could be obtained upon short notice. Upon receipt of the Soviet request for repatriation shipping in May, adequate shipping had been lying waiting in idle readiness in various ports in Japan since 1 April 1948. SCAP was and will continue to be prepared to lift Japanese repatriates in increments up to 160,000 monthly to fulfill the offer made in the Allied Council for Japan at the meeting of 29 October 1947. Action has been taken by SCAP to allocate repatriation shipping spaces to fulfill the Soviet request for 45,500 spaces during the month of May 1948.²

1. Copy transmitted to the Department in covering despatch 306, May 27, from Tokyo; received May 31.
2. In despatch 550, August 23, from Tokyo, the Department was informed that repatriation during May, June, and July fell below the monthly 50,000 stipulated on December 19, 1946, and that the figure in August would reach about 40,500 only (740.00115 PW/8–2348).