811.20200 (D)/12–1148: Telegram
The Acting Political Adviser in Japan (Sebald) to the Secretary of State
287. (Z–32881) For USIS. The following statement was released to press by SCAP headquarters at noon today:
“Soviets suspend repatriation for winter.
“The repatriation division of General Headquarters, SCAP announced today receipt of a letter from the Soviet member, Allied Council for Japan, announcing that repatriation of Japanese from Siberia and other Soviet-controlled areas would be suspended until the resumption of navigation in 1949 because of climatic and icing conditions.
“The spokesman for this division stated, ‘the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers was profoundly disappointed to receive this notification of the intended suspension of Japanese repatriation during the ensuing months by which more than 400,000 hapless Japanese are condemned to a fourth winter in Siberia and other Soviet-controlled areas. This action has been undertaken in disregard of [Page 925] repeated offers made by SCAP of assistance in overcoming alleged navigational climatic and icing conditions.’
“The spokesman re-emphasized the previous SCAP offers to provide:
- (1)
- Adequate shipping for repatriation of Japanese in increments up to 160,000 persons per month:
- (2)
- Icebreakers and other special facilities. This latest offer was made by SCAP in a letter on October 20, 1948 in order to assist the Soviets in overcoming difficulties allegedly presented by the winter repatriation of Japanese. This letter was never answered.
“It was stated that the last regular monthly repatriation lift in November realized the release of 37,929 repatriates, 12,071 below the 50,000 quota of the SCAP-Soviet repatriation agreement, thus marking the eighteenth consecutive month that the Soviets have failed to fulfill subject quota.
“Following is the Soviet suspension letter received by SCAP on December 8, 1948 addressed to General Headquarters, Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, Chief of Staff, Major General Mueller: ‘Dear General: This is to confirm the declaration of Captain second rank Yashin made December 3, 1948 to the representative of the Liaison Section, General Headquarters, SCAP, Captain Senka, that repatriation of Japanese, in compliance with Paragraph Four, Section Two, Agreement of December 19, 1948 [1947],1 is discontinued due to heavy climatic and icing conditions until navigation season of 1949.’”
- See despatch 1475, December 24, 1947, Foreign Relations, 1947, vol. vi, p. 340.↩