894.628/10–2049
Memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Butterworth)1
Subject: Plan to Use US Navy to Enforce Japanese Fishing Area
Information has been obtained from a telegram (Tab A)2 from the Commander of the Seventh Task Fleet that effective October 23 an operation plan will be put into effect to patrol the Japanese fishing area authorized by SCAP. The plan provides that any attempt to violate the rights of Japanese fishing vessels by any ship either in or outside of the authorized area will be considered an act of piracy, and that force may be used if necessary to free the Japanese fishing vessel and escort the offending vessel back to Japan. It appears, from the telegram that the patrol will only be in those fishing areas near [Page 879] the China coast and not those bordering on the Kuriles. It is believed that your attention should be called to this matter as the Navy action may get us into some, although probably not serious trouble. The Department was not consulted in this matter.
The decision to use the US Navy as a patrol is undoubtedly the result of a previous request from SCAP to the Department of the Army for assistance in this connection. During 1948 and 1949 a total of 67 seizures of Japanese vessels both inside and outside the authorized area by the Chinese and the Soviets has been reported. The worst offenders have been the Chinese who in many instances have held the vessels for operations in the civil war, and who in some instances have resorted to sinking the vessels and killing the crews. The Soviets have in some cases not returned the vessels or crews.