Office of the Historian

128. Telegram From the Embassy in Japan to the Department of State0

Tokyo, December 24, 1959, 3 p.m.

2019. For Asst Secy Parsons from MacArthur. Communiqué. Deptel 1510.1 I had a long and good meeting with Fujiyama yesterday and was also in touch with Kishi re possible inclusion in communiqué of references to consultation formula, Article III islands and indirect aggression. I let them know very frankly I thought they would be creating problems which would not be conducive to best atmosphere for their visit to Washington, if they insisted on inclusion these items in communique.

As result foregoing, they have informed me this morning as follows:

(1)
They agree to have Article III islands in agreed minute as proposed in Deptel 14872 and will not ask for reference to Article III islands to be included in communiqué. This would seem to dispose of this problem on basis of our desires.
(2)
Re indirect aggression, they also will not insist on inclusion if such reference in communiqué. Fujiyama inquires whether we will accept formulation in agreed minute set forth in Embtel 1982.3Kishi now plans to handle this matter either by such an agreed minute, or by a unilateral statement or by simply saying nothing, although he has not yet decided which course to follow.4
(3)
Re consultation formula, Kishi feels he must insist that this be included in the communiqué. For as he has pointed out in the past (Embtel 1976)5 he believes this is “key” to successful Diet ratification. While he is still studying proposal we put to him in Deptel 14806 he in principle feels language along these lines will meet problem. He points out that while we will lose nothing by including statement on consultation in communiqué along lines our proposal which authorizes him to attribute remarks to the President, it will be of the greatest possible help to him in his effort to get the treaty ratified.

[Page 256]

Comment: It seems to me that the above undertaking by Kishi meets our requirements in every material respect and I hope most earnestly that we can agree to inclusion of reference to consultation in communiqué7 as this more than anything else will strengthen hand of Kishi and all our friends in Japan, whereas it literally costs us nothing.

I have also made clear to both Kishi and Fujiyama that all matters involving security treaty and related agreements, including references to them in communiqué, must be tidied up and fully agreed before my departure January 9 and preferably by end of year. They are both in full accord. Merry Christmas.

MacArthur
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 749.5/12–2459. Confidential; Priority; Limit Distribution.↩
  2. Document 127.↩
  3. Document 123. The final text of the agreed minute on Article III territories is in an unnumbered telegram to the High Commissioner in Okinawa, January 15, 1960. (Department of State, Central Files, 611.947/1–1560) It is printed in 11 UST (p. 2) 1645–1646.↩
  4. Document 126.↩
  5. The Japanese Government decided to make no mention of indirect aggression. (Telegram 2145 from Tokyo, January 6, 1960; Department of State, Central Files, 611.947/1–660)↩
  6. Document 124.↩
  7. Document 120.↩
  8. After further discussion, it was agreed that consultation would be mentioned in the joint communiqué. Its final text was agreed to on January 15, 1960, just before Kishi’s departure for the United States. (Telegram 1709 to Tokyo, January 15, 1960; Department of State, Central Files, 611.947/1–1560)↩