No. 541
Editorial Note
On March 20, the Senate gave its advice and consent to ratification (without reservations) of the Japanese Peace Treaty and the three Pacific security treaties. The vote on the Peace Treaty was 66–10; that on the Security Treaty between the United States and Japan was 58–9.
Although no reservations were adopted, the Senate did make a “declaration” with respect to its action: “As part of such advice and consent the Senate states that nothing the treaty contains is deemed to dimish or prejudice, in favor of the Soviet Union, the right, title, and interest of Japan, or the Allied Powers as defined in said treaty, in and to South Sakhalin and its adjacent islands, the Kurile Islands, the Habomai Islands, the island of Shikotan, or any other territory, rights, or interests possessed by Japan on December 7, 1941, or to confer any right, title, or benefit therein or thereto on the Soviet Union; and also that nothing in the said treaty, or the advice and consent of the Senate to the ratification thereof, implies recognition on the part of the United States of the provisions in favor of the Soviet Union of the so-called ‘Yalta agreement’ regarding Japan of February 11, 1945.” (Department of State Bulletin, May 5, 1952, page 689)
[Page 1217]For Secretary Acheson’s statement of March 21 concerning completion of Senate action on the four treaties, see ibid., March 31, 1952, page 491.