77. Telegram From the Embassy in Japan to the Department of State0
2678. CINCPAC exclusive for Adm Felt and POLAD. COMUS/Japan exclusive for Gen Burns. For Robertson and Parsons. I have not reported in detail on some very difficult conversations I have had with [Page 195] Fujiyama on the new security treaty and related documents during the course of which I have had to be very tough with him.
There is now agreement between the US and Japan on the exchange of notes regarding the validity of decisions and agreements under the joint committee, etc. but all other matters remain open.
With respect to the treaty, the formula, the Rusk–Okazaki official minutes and the Acheson–Yoshida notes it is now clear I have pushed the Japanese to the limit of their “give” and have in effect squeezed the lemon dry. It seems to us that the proposals which are now pending Washington’s decision on these questions protect us with respect to all basic matters of substance. I therefore trust that we will be able to close on the basis of these proposals.
Also would appreciate receiving most urgently Department’s views on most recent Japanese proposals re Administrative Agreement.1
I informed Fujiyama of Washington agreement re timing of signature of new treaty as per Deptels 19142 and 1915.3 Fujiyama and Kishi are most anxious to meet June 22 deadline but to do so we will have to wrap up pending matters during coming week. Let me emphasize again that Japanese desire to conclude negotiations and sign treaty at end of June or early July is working strongly in our favor. If we miss the boat we will not be able to conclude negotiations until after Kishi’s return in mid-August.4 In such event the pressure will be off and we must inevitably expect a number of important substantive matters to be opened up by Japanese.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 794.5/6–1359. Confidential; priority; Limit Distribution. Repeated to CINCPAC and COMUS/Japan.↩
- Negotiations of the security treaty, treaty-related issues, and the revision of the Administrative Agreement took place concurrently. Regarding the Administrative Agreement, items discussed in May and June included the settlement of damages and claims, importation of duty-free goods for the use of U.S. armed forces in Japan, and the words “rights, power and authority” in Article III, paragraph 1, to which the Japanese objected. Documents concerning these negotiations are ibid., 611.94.↩
- Telegram 1914 to Tokyo, June 8, reported that the Department saw no objection to meeting Kishi’s wish to sign the treaty in Washington before July 1. In fact the Department was pleased that the signing would take place in Washington. (Ibid., 794.5/6–659)↩
- Telegram 1915 to Tokyo, June 8, discussed the schedule for translating the treaty texts into Japanese. (Ibid., 794.5/6–859)↩
- Kishi traveled to Europe and South America July 11–August 11.↩