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

96. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, August 31, 1956¹

Washington, August 31, 1956

SUBJECT

• Courtesy Call by Mr. Masuhara on Mr. Robertson

PARTICIPANTS

• Mr. Keikichi Masuhara, Vice Director General, Japanese Defense Agency
• Mr. Masao Sawaki, Deputy Chief, First Section, Defense Bureau, Defense Agency
• Mr. Masayuki Tani, Ambassador E. and P., Embassy of Japan
• Mr. Toshikazo Maeda, Second Secretary, Embassy of Japan
• Lt. Colonel Toshiro Magari, Defense Attaché, Embassy of Japan
• General Biddle, Head of MAAG–Japan
• Mr. Walter S. Robertson, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Far Eastern Affairs
• Mr. Noel Hemmendinger, Acting Director, Office of Northeast Asian Affairs
• Mr. James V. Martin, Jr., Officer in Charge, Japanese Affairs, NA
• Captain Susumu Toyoda, U.S. Army Interpreter

Mr. Robertson greeted Mr. Masuhara who stated that he was delighted to be in the United States. He planned to spend four days in Washington and then fourteen or fifteen days elsewhere inspecting various facilities after which he would be busy writing up his report. Mr. Masuhara stated that he had no particular matters to discuss but that the six-year rearmament plan was undergoing some revision and that he desired to seek American support. He would discuss this matter on September 6 with the American officials concerned. Mr. Masuhara gave Mr. Robertson two copies of a pamphlet on Japanese self-defense program and planning.² Mr. Robertson said that he would study the program with interest.

Mr. Masuhara said that there was a small problem which he would like to raise at the request of Ambassador Tani. The United States still had some Japanese military documents which the Japanese Defense Agency would like to have returned for its use in preparation of a military history. Mr. Robertson asked Mr. Hemmendinger if the Department was aware of this matter. Mr. Martin stated that preparations were being made for the return of the documents as speedily as possible. Mr. Masuhara expressed his thanks.

Mr. Hemmendinger asked what problems were likely to arise during the next few months with respect to Defense Agency. Mr. Masuhara stated that in the next few months nothing special would come up, that the ground forces would be increased by 10,000 men according to plan in the present fiscal year. The Air Self-Defense Force had been making considerable progress in pilot training and in increasing the number of F–86–F’s in operation. This would continue. The main problem for the near future would be the compilation of next year’s budget. Even among the Cabinet Members and the Liberal Democratic Party there were some who felt that the ground forces should not be increased by 10,000 in FY 1958. Such an increase would bring them to 170,000. Such an increase also would bring the ground forces to the point where they would have six divisions and four mixed brigades—ten combat units in all. Ten combat units form the present Japanese end goal. In the next following fiscal year (FY 1959) it was planned to increase the ground self-defense force striking power with new weapons and mechanizations. Mr. Masuhara said that some slight changes were currently contemplated, after discussion with MAAGJ, to return forty-nine overage LSSL’s to the United States. The United Stated had previously lent fifty LSSL’s to Japan. Only one of these would be retained, and to replace the tonnage relinquished, Japan would build one destroyer, one submarine and four submarine chasers.³ To do this, however, it would be necessary to revise the agreement.⁴

Mr. Robertson asked Mr. Masuhara if he knew what installations the Soviets had on the islands of Etorofu and Kunashiri in the Kuriles. Mr. Masuhara replied that the JSDF has no way of detecting such installations and has to depend on the United States security forces for such information. However, he believed that the Soviets have both airfields and military barracks on these islands.

General Biddle asked about the development program for the air Self-Defense Forces in the six year plan. General Masuhara replied that unlike the plan for the Ground Self Defense Forces where no particular change is anticipated the Japanese Defense Agency would like to amend the ASDF plan. Originally they planned to have twenty-one F–86–F squadrons and six F–86–D squadrons; that now it is planned to increase the six F–86–D squadrons to eight or possibly nine squadrons and correspondingly to reduce the number of F–86–F squadrons to eighteen or nineteen.

General Biddle asked about the plans for constructing P2V’s (Navy anti-submarine planes). Mr. Masuhara said that originally the Japanese had thought of purchasing P2V’s built by the United States but more recently the thinking had been to assemble these planes in Japan. This would cost three billion yen. He wished to discuss with American officials in Washington what financial assistance might be expected from the United States.⁵

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 794.5/8–3155. Confidential. Drafted by Martin.
2. Not found in Department of State files.
3. A summary of the Japanese 6-year defense program (in English) was given to Department officials by Hiroto Tanaka, Counselor of the Japanese Embassy, on August 23. It is attached to Martin’s memorandum of a conversation held with Tanaka, August 22. (Department of State, Central Files, 794.5/8–2256)
4. Reference is to the charter party agreement signed at Tokyo on November 12, 1952; for text, see TIAS 2714; 3 UST (pt. 4) 5183. Extensions and amendments to this agreement went into effect January 13, 1958; text is in TIAS 3977; 9 UST 43. In the revision, 36 of the LSSLs were retained by Japan.
5. An agreement relating to a cost-sharing program for the production and development in Japan of P2Vs was effected by an exchange of notes in Tokyo on January 25, 1958. Text is in TIAS 3984; 3 UST (pt. 4) 124.