Office of the Historian

611.94/l–2152: Telegram

No. 481
The Secretary of State to the Office of the United States Political Adviser to SCAP (Sebald)1

secret
priority
Washington, January 21, 1952—10:14 a.m.

2020. For Sebald from Rusk.

1. This is not an action telegram. Pls furnish copy to Gen Ridgway. Immediately after Congressional consultations on Mon and Tues,2 Dept contemplates authorizing transmission preliminary draft Admin Agreement to Yoshida by means considered most appropriate by Gen Ridgway and yourself. Believe in communicating draft it would be desirable to make fol points to Yoshida:

(a)
Transmission is informal for his convenience and does not preclude U.S. negotiators from proposing other language upon arrival.
(b)
We consider it of utmost importance that present text be held on most confidential basis until negotiators can have initial talks and consider public relations aspects with Jap reps and Gen Ridgway.
(c)
Present text does not attempt to deal with specific facilities and areas since these involve great mass of detail and will require continuous consultation and review by appropriate US and Jap authorities in Joint Committee. We believe this arrangement is in mutual interest and is only practical way to proceed.
(d)
Present text represents genuine effort take into full account Jap views given us informally as well as basic relationship between US and Jap as equal partners in great common effort of vital concern to both. Great confidence which draft places in Jap involves correspondingly heavy obligations upon Jap to play its part.
(e)
Present draft reflects US views in light of complex legal, political and economic relationships not only as between US and Jap but involving many govs in similar relationships. Hence present text should not be considered merely as an initial bargaining position; it already reflects major concessions to Jap interests and views, some of historical significance. Substantial changes would be difficult to make without serious results in vast complex of free world security arrangements and without greatly adding to burdens of world-wide responsibilities which US is now required to carry.3

Acheson
  1. Drafted by Rusk and cleared with FE and the Department of Defense.↩
  2. Jan. 21 and 22.↩

  3. In Topad’s 2021 and 2033 to Tokyo, Jan. 21 and 22, respectively, the Department transmitted final revisions of the draft administrative agreement. In the latter telegram the Department authorized presentation of the draft to the Prime Minister. (611.94/1–2152 and 611.94/1–2252)

    In Topad 1533 from Tokyo, Jan. 25, Sebald replied: “Pursuant Deptel 2033, Jan 22 draft admin agreement passed to PriMin January 24 by Gen Ridgway in my presence, together with substance Deptel 2020 Jan 21.” (611.94/1–2552)

    For extracts from the draft of Jan. 22, see infra and the attachment to Document 483.

    ↩