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

894.628/5–448

The Department of State to the Australian Embassy

Aide-mémoire

The Department of State desires to refer to the Australian Embassy’s aide-mémoire of May 4, 1948,¹ replying to the Department’s aide-mémoire of April 13, 1948, in which the Department offered to transmit to the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers in Japan for his consideration such views as the Australian Government might care to submit regarding a contemplated third SCAP-administered, Japanese-manned Antarctic whaling expedition.

A message has now been received from the Supreme Commander advising that after careful consideration of the opposing views advanced by the Australian Government and other interested Governments he has nevertheless been compelled in the circumstances to authorize a third expedition. The reasons leading him to this decision are stated to be the same as those necessitating the first and second expeditions, notably the continuing acute shortage of necessary food products in Japan and the importance of maximizing foreign exchange resources for the procurement of essential imports for Japan. The Supreme Commander further states, however, that in view of the Australian and other Governments’ express opposition to the inclusion of a third factory ship, and because of his desire to meet these Governments’ wishes in the matter of Japanese whaling to the largest possible extent consistent with the effective performance of the occupation mission, he has decided not to authorize the addition of a third ship.

With reference to the Australian Government’s contention that Japanese participation in Antarctic whaling is properly a matter of principle which should be decided by the Far Eastern Commission the position of the United States Government on this question has already been made clear in connection with the previous expeditions and need not be repeated here. It is the view of this Government that the Supreme Commander has authority under the provisions of FEC–035,² or under his general powers as “the sole executive authority for the Allied Powers in Japan”, to authorize the subject expedition, and that he should do so.

The Department of State notes the view of the Australian Government that the treatment accorded the Australian observer during the last expedition could not be regarded as satisfactory. The Department is not yet-in possession of all the facts relative to this complaint, but is bringing it specifically to the attention of the Supreme Commander with the request that he institute the necessary inquiries. The Embassy will be advised immediately the Supreme Commander’s report is received.³

Washington, June 8, 1948.

1. Not printed, but see memorandum of May 4, p. 747.
2. Sent as directive to SCAP on November 13, 1945; see Department of State, The Far Eastern Commission, a study in international cooperation: 1945 to 1952 (publication 5138, Far Eastern Series 60; released December 1953), p. 106. See also memorandum of February 14, 1947, Foreign Relations, 1947, vol. vi, p. 179.
3. Similar replies were made on the same date to the New Zealand Legation’s aide-mémoire of May 6, the Norwegian Embassy’s of May 14, and the British Embassy’s of May 18, all of which responded to the Department’s aide-mémoire of April 13, none printed (894.628/5–648, 5–1448, 5–1848).