Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, Japan, Volume XXIII, Part 1

198. Letter From the Secretary of State to the Secretary of Defense (Wilson)¹

Washington, July 9, 1957.

Dear Mr. Secretary: Immediately after receipt of Mr. Sprague’s letter of June 21, 1957² to Mr. Robertson, regarding the disestablishment of CINCFE and rescission of the Memorandum by the President of April 23, 1952, agreement was reached in an interdepartmental meeting at the staff level on the questions referred to in the second paragraph of Mr. Sprague’s letter. We have also had the benefit of discussions with Ambassador MacArthur on these questions. As a result, I believe we can resolve the questions referred to in Mr. Sprague’s letter and raised by your staff in the following manner:

1. As far as protocol on the United States side is concerned Ambassador MacArthur believes, and we completely agree, that COMUS Japan should take precedence among United States representatives in Japan immediately after the chief of the diplomatic mission.

2. Ambassador MacArthur believes, and we agree, that there should be no change in the present arrangements for military participation in the Joint Committee, set up under Article XXVI of the Administrative Agreement between the United States and Japan.

3. Similarly Ambassador MacArthur believes, and we agree, that there should be no change in the present relationship between MAAG Japan and the chief of the diplomatic misson.

There will no doubt be other minor points arising during the next few months, and I suggest that these be discussed and resolved by our respective staffs.

I am enclosing herewith in duplicate for your consideration and signature a memorandum of understanding between the Departments of State and Defense concerning the relationship between COMUS Japan, MAAG Japan, and the chief of the diplomatic mission, which embodies the three points mentioned above. If this memorandum of understanding meets with your approval, kindly sign and return one copy to me.

I am also enclosing herewith in duplicate a proposed memorandum to the President, which requests him to rescind the memorandum by the President of April 23, 1952 defining the relationship between CINCFE and the chief of the diplomatic mission in Japan. If this meets with your approval, please sign the original and forward it to the President.³

Sincerely yours,

John Foster Dulles

⁴

[Enclosure]

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENTS OF DEFENSE AND STATE CONCERNING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE COMMANDER OF UNITED STATES FORCES, JAPAN (COMUS JAPAN), MILITARY ASSISTANCE ADVISORY GROUP, JAPAN, AND THE CHIEF OF THE DIPLOMATIC MISSION IN JAPAN⁵

Representatives of the Departments of Defense and State have reached the following understandings on certain questions arising out of the disestablishment of the Commander in Chief, Far East (CINCFE) and the rescission of the memorandum by the President of April 23, 1952, which questions affect the relationships of the Commander of United States Forces, Japan (COMUS Japan) and of the Military Assistance Advisory Group with the chief of the diplomatic mission in Japan:

1. The Commander of United States Forces, Japan shall take precedence among United States representatives in Japan immediately after the chief of the diplomatic mission.

2. There will be no change in the present arrangements for military participation in the Joint Committee set up under Article XXVI of the Administrative Agreement Between the United States and Japan.

3. There shall be no change in the present relationship between the Military Assistance Advisory Group, Japan and the chief of the diplomatic mission.

4. If any difference arises between the Commander of United States Forces, Japan and the chief of the diplomatic mission in Japan regarding policy affecting military matters, the question shall be referred by them to the Department of Defense and to the Department of State, respectively, for resolution, and action shall be withheld in the meantime except that in an emergency affecting the security of forces, or in the imminent threat of such an emergency, the Commander of United States Forces, Japan may take required action to safeguard the security of its forces.

5. The foregoing understandings are in the context of the United States arrangements for the implementation of the present Security Treaty Between the United States and Japan and the Administrative Agreement Between the United States and Japan. In the event of a revision or modification of either of these documents, it may become necessary for the two Departments to review these understandings in the light of the new situation.

John Foster Dulles⁶
Secretary of State
Secretary of Defense⁷

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 790.5/6–2157. Secret. Drafted in NA on July 8.
2. Document 194.
3. This memorandum was forwarded to the President on August 1 after signature by Wilson. On August 3 Eisenhower signed the following memorandum: “The memorandum of April 23, 1952 which established principles to govern the relationships between the chief of the diplomatic mission in Japan and the Commander in Chief, Far East (CINCFE) after the Treaty of Peace with Japan and the Security Treaty between the United States and Japan should have come into force, is hereby rescinded in its entirety, such rescission to become effective forthwith.” Both memoranda are attached to this letter.
4. Printed from a copy that bears this stamped signature.
5. Secret. Drafted in NA on June 5.
6. Printed from a copy that bears this stamped signature.
7. Wilson signed this memorandum August 1. The copy with Wilson’s signature is attached to a memorandum from Howe to Dulles, August 6, in Department of State, Central Files, 611.947/8–357.