April–October 1971: Change and Reassessment
102. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1025, Presidential/HAK Memcons, Memcon—The President, Former PM Nobusuke Kishi, Oct. 22, 1971. Secret. On October 21 Haig sent Nixon a memorandum in preparation for the meeting with Kishi. In this memorandum, Haig reported that Kishi “is coming as the unofficial emissary of the Sato Government and the LDP.” (Ibid., Box 537, Country Files, Far East, Japan, Vol. VI, October–31 December 1971)
103. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Japan
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 537, Country Files, Far East, Japan, Vol. VI, October–December 31, 1971. Secret; Immediate; Nodis. Drafted by Herbert Levin, Politico-Military Officer for Japan; cleared in substance with Herz and Ericson, and by Special Assistant to the Secretary of State Peter Johnson, Miller, and Haig; and approved by Green. After receiving an earlier draft of this message, Holdridge sent a memorandum to Haig on October 27, noting: “The idea of the message originated with Secretary Rogers (although Under Secretary Johnson approved the State draft). The second paragraph of State’s draft is objectionable, I believe, because it pictures the PRC as a problem in the U.N. and could easily be interpreted by Peking, if leaked, as implying collusion between the U.S. and Japan as regards our approach to China. I have substituted language which would have the President take note of recent progress in removing frictions from our relationship and reaffirms the primary importance of the U.S.-Japan relationship in our Asian policy.” Haig approved Holdridge’s changes, which were included in the final version of the telegram sent to Tokyo. (Ibid.)
104. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 537, Country Files, Far East, Japan, Vol. VI, October–December 31, 1971. Secret; Sensitive. The meeting took place in Kissinger’s office. Kissinger approved the memorandum of this conversation after editing a passage that had created the misleading impression that he had met with Kishi. The previous day, Holdridge had sent Kissinger talking points for his meeting with Ushiba. (Ibid.)