Lot 60 D 330: Northeast Asian Affairs Files
The Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Rusk) to the Vice Chairman of the Munitions Board for International Programs (Van Atten)
My Dear Mr. Van Atten: Reference is made to your letter of May 16, 1951,1 regarding the modification of restrictions on Japan’s production of military equipment for export to areas other than Korea and to conversations between Department of State, the Munitions Board, Department of Defense and Army officials on June 8, 1951.
As stated by Department of State officials in those discussions and set forth in previous correspondence between the Department of State and the Department of Defense, this Department has no political objections to the manufacture and export from Japan to any approved destination of goods which by their construction are not designed solely for military purposes, the production in Japan for use by the occupation forces or in the United Nations military operations in Korea, of any or all military goods, including combat items, and the production in Japan of permissible military items for the Japanese police. It is the view of the Department that many of the non-combat items in the quartermaster, engineer and signal category and other similar equipment and supplies may properly be considered as products “which by their construction are not designed solely for military purposes”, [Page 1138] and that such goods may therefore be produced in and exported: from Japan to approved destinations. Therefore, the only question that appears to be raised by your letter under reference is that of the production in Japan and export to areas other than Korea of products which by their construction are designed solely for military purposes; that is, primarily combat items such as arms, ammunition, tanks, and other such implements of war.
From the conversations held on June 8, it is the understanding of the Department that such combat items are not yet to any degree being produced in Japan for the needs of the occupation or the United Nations military forces in Korea. It is also understood that FY 1951 requirements for the MDA Program in Southeast Asia are already committed. It would, therefore, appear that there is no immediate urgency to reach a decision on whether Japan should be permitted to produce combat items for export to areas other than Korea. Therefore, the Department suggests that a decision on this question be deferred for the time being in order not to prejudice the progress that is being made toward the conclusion of a Japanese peace settlement which will have the result of removing the present Far Eastern Commission restrictions on Japan’s production and export of such combat items.
The Department of State would be pleased to consult further with officers of the Munitions Board and the Department of Defense regarding specific interpretations of the FEC policy decision of February 12, 1948, concerning the “Prohibition of Military Activity in Japan and Disposition of Japanese Military Equipment”. The Department is also prepared to consider the entire matter further upon indication from you that the practical issue is one of more immediacy than presently seems apparent.
Sincerely yours,
- Not printed.↩