894.602/12–1649: Airgram

The Acting Political Adviser in Japan (Sebald) to the Secretary of State

A371. With reference to Scapin 2058 of November 22, 1949, transmitted to Department under cover of Mission’s despatch no. 854, December 6,1 on subject of removal of certain Japanese companies from Schedule of Restricted Concerns, following SCAP press release was issued on December 8, 1949, by Public Information Office, GHQ, FEC [sic]:

“Sixty-two more Japanese business and industrial concerns under restriction due to former Zaibatsu connections, have just been removed from restricted listings, having complied with all removal requirements, SCAP’s Fair Trade and Practices Division today announced.

“Criteria for the removal of these concerns were primarily the sale of former Zaibatsu-owned stocks; completion of reorganization if required under established Japanese laws; ascertainment that those companies in which United Nations nationals have claims for securities restoration have reserved shares for restoration in accordance with the law, and completion of separation from the former Zaibatsu chain of capital, ESS officials explained.

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“This leaves 707 concerns still to meet the criteria for removal from restricted listings, ESS officials said.

“Widespread business and industrial interests are included in this latest list of removals, among them the following types of firms: flour mills, lumber, real estate, cotton, hosiery, paper, aluminum, engineering, sheet-glass, warehousing, paint, collieries, shipbuilding, industry, construction, felt, pulp, optics, graphite, manganese, metals, harbor transport, alloys, cement, fibres, tea, rolling stock and locomotives, chemicals, marine transport, pump manufacturing, sulphur, light metals, mining, silk manufacturing, weaving and spinning, dyeing, machine manufactures, and diesel engines.”

Sebald
  1. Not printed. For Department press release of December 1 on eliminating trade restrictions, see Department of State Bulletin, December 12, 1949, p. 910.