Dulles Papers
The Consultant to the Secretary (Dulles) to Prime Minister Yoshida of Japan
My Dear Mr. Prime Minister: Minister Allison has brought me your note of July 2.1 I greatly appreciate what you say. We worked hard, and I think with all the success that could be anticipated, to secure agreement on peace terms which will be fair and just and restore Japan to a position of equality and dignity in the free world.
I have followed with interest the local elections and welcome your assurance regarding ratification of the peace treaty. I think it important [Page 1182] that ratification should be by a large non-partisan majority, if at all possible. I hope we shall have a strong bipartisan delegation to the peace conference and a large bipartisan support in the Senate.
I note what you say about foreign investments. It is, as you suggest, not a subject with which I have any official responsibility but I shall bear in mind what you say. I have, naturally, a sympathetic interest in seeing the peaceful economy of Japan progressively developed.
We have now, as you know, made plans for the signing of the peace at San Francisco the first week of September. I hope you will not close your mind to the possibility of coming yourself, at least for a day or two.
With kind regards, I am
Sincerely yours,
- In this handwritten note in English, the Prime Minister had expressed appreciation for the Consultant’s “efforts & works for the cause of the peace” and had stated: “There is no fear for the passage of the Peace Treaty through both houses of the Diet.” In conclusion he had said American capital was needed for “our trade balance” and for the development of Japanese industry, particularly the exploitation of hydroelectric resources. (Dulles Papers)↩