Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Japan; Korea, Volume XVIII

28. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Japan ⁰

Washington, September 29, 1958, 9:59 p.m.

474. Joint State–Defense message. You are authorized enter into negotiations with GOJ following basis:

(1) Introduce and seek Japanese agreement on our draft text of new mutual security treaty. Note following changes in our draft.

Article VI–Substitute “In furtherance of the objectives of this Treaty, the US has the use of certain bases in Japan. With respect to the use of these bases and the status of US forces in Japan, the Administrative Agreement signed at Tokyo on February 28, 1952, as amended, shall continue in force.”

Article IX will consist of only the first sentence which reads “The Security Treaty between Japan and the US shall expire upon the entering into force of this Treaty.”

Article X based on modification Articles 13 NATO Treaty now reads “This treaty shall remain in force indefinitely. However, after the treaty has been in force for 10 years either party may terminate it one year after notice has been given to the other party.”¹

(2) Note that Article VI of draft mutual security treaty states that present Administrative Agreement will continue in force. Of course Administrative Agreement still subject to subsequent amendment under its own Article XXVIII.

If the subject of revising the Administrative Agreement should be raised, you may assure Kishi that necessary technical steps will be taken to cure references to the present security treaty. Any attempts to renegotiate the Administrative Agreement should be forestalled until we have had an opportunity to review whether this would be in our interest. Our tentative thinking is to leave agreement intact, with side agreement reciting that present references in Administrative Agreement should henceforth be read as references to Mutual Cooperation and Security Treaty. If further changes are in your opinion necessary, please advise soonest as any revision of Administrative Agreement should be concluded contemporaneously with treaty and available for possible Congressional scrutiny.

(3) At an appropriate point introduce and seek agreement to our formula to meet Japanese requests with regard to consultation on the deployment of US forces and their equipment in Japan. [5 lines of source text not declassified]

Defense desires you raise with Kishi personally the importance that we attach to the use of the facilities in Japan in the event of Communist aggression directed against another free Asian nation wherein Japan’s safety is threatened. Please report Kishi’s reaction and any recommendations as to how some understanding with Japanese might be reached to accomplish this objective.

(4) Make clear to Kishi that exchange of notes between Secretary Acheson and Prime Minister Yoshida of September 8, 1951 (by which Japan agreed to permit and facilitate support in and about Japan of UN forces engaged in any UN action in Far East) will not be affected by new security treaty.

Dulles

0. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 794.5/9–2958. Secret; Niact. Drafted by Martin and cleared with L/FE, S/S, and DOD. Repeated to CINCPAC.
1. The draft printed as Tab A, Document 27, already incorporates this change.