Foreign Relations of the United States, 1951, Asia and the Pacific, Volume VI, Part 1

Lot 55D598: Files of the Office of Northeast Asian Affairs

The Acting Director of the Office of Northeast Asian Affairs (McClurkin) to the Special Assistant for Occupied Areas, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Hamblen)

top secret

Washington, December 27, 1951.

My Dear General Hamblen: I have received your letter of December 7, 1951,¹ concerning the proposal of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, that the existing limitations on Japanese fishing areas be removed as soon as practicable after the United States-Canadian-Japanese fisheries conference and in any event before the Treaty of Peace comes into force.

While concurring generally with the Supreme Commander’s proposal, the Department of State believes that the following considerations militate against action in the immediate future:

1. Public announcement of the abolition of the boundary limiting the authorized Japanese fishing area may prejudice public opinion in certain countries and impede efforts to secure early ratification of the Treaty of Peace.

2. Although the Far Eastern Commission has never adopted a policy decision concerning fishing, the United States Representative has on several occasions under instruction informed the Commission that it was the understanding of the United States Government that should the Supreme Commander contemplate an extension of the fishing areas, those states asserting a direct concern in the areas would be consulted.

3. Abolition of the limiting boundary is of direct concern to the Republic of the Philippines, the Republic of Indonesia, and the Republic of Korea in as much as those nations have indicated a desire to conclude bilateral fisheries treaties with Japan. Announcement of the abolition of the boundary would very likely cause these nations to feel that their bargaining position vis-à-vis Japan had been seriously weakened and cause resentment against both Japan and the United States. In the case of the Philippines and Indonesia, ratification of the Treaty of Peace with Japan might be endangered.

In view of these considerations, the Department of State recommends that the Supreme Commander be requested to withhold action on this proposal until shortly prior to the coming into effect of the Treaty of Peace. In the meantime, the Department of State will notify those friendly nations principally concerned of the Supreme Commander’s intentions and the reasons prompting them. We will communicate with you again after these discussions.²

Sincerely yours,

Robert J. G. McClurkin

1. Not printed.
2. DA 90678 to CINCFE, Tokyo, December 29, in part indicated that the Department of the Army had acceded to the State Department’s request and instructed SCAP to withhold action on his proposal “until shortly prior to the coming into effect of the treaty of peace. In the meantime, State will discuss with those friendly nations principally concerned your intentions and the reasons prompting them.” (Lot 55D598)