611.94/2–1852: Telegram
No. 519
The United States Political Adviser to
SCAP (Sebald) to the Department of State
niact
1715. Repeated info Secretary Defense C 63824. This is Sebald’s 1715. No. 27 from Rusk. Fol personal study draft Article 2 and exchange of notes, Prime Minister Yoshida has requested modification of language to bring out that US-Japanese arrangements on facilities and areas need not await coming into effect administrative agreement and also language confirming that use of facilities and areas by US forces after effective date of peace treaty is on basis of rights given under peace treaty and agreement between US and Japan. Japanese know that acceptability method exchange of notes has not been agreed US Govt and no commitments made here that respect.
To meet Yoshida’s points, fol changes should be made in texts submitted my No. 23, Feb 15:1
Amend second sentence Article 2 to read:
“Agreements on specific facilities and areas, not already reached by the two govts by the effective date of this agreement, shall be concluded in consultation between the two govts through the Joint Committee provided for in Article 24 of this agreement.”
New first para US note to Japan to read as follows:
“In the course of our discussion on the terms of the administrative agreement signed today, Your Excellency has stated as the opinion of the Japanese Govt that, as the occupation of Japan by [Page 1175] the Allied powers comes to an end on the coming into force of the treaty of peace with Japan, the use of facilities and areas by US forces on the basis of occupation requistion also comes to an end on the same date; thereafter, the use of such facilities and areas by US forces must be based upon agreement between the two govts, subject to the rights which each might have under the treaty of peace with Japan. I hereby confirm that such is also the opinion of the US Govt.”
Old first para same note becomes new second para with deletion of words “between the US of America and Japan signed today” and with quotation of sentence from para one of Article 2 modified as above. Also, at end of old first para amend language to read as follows:
“…2 with the understanding that the arrangements made by the preliminary working group shall be put into effect as agreed and that the task of the preliminary working group would be taken over by the Joint Committee upon the effective date of the administrative agreement.”
Text Japanese note to US would then be modified accordingly.
- Telegram 1690 from Tokyo, Document 514.↩
- Ellipsis in the source text.↩