NA files, lot 54 D 539, I–5.5 Ryukyus
No. 591
The Ambassador in Japan (Murphy) to the
Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Allison)
Dear John: At the invitation of General Clark, I accompanied him on a visit to Okinawa July 24–25. We visited most of the military, air, and naval installations and I had the opportunity as well for an informative meeting, arranged by Vice Consul Thomas H. Murfin, with the leading Ryukyuan officials. We had the benefit of [Page 1312] thorough briefings, especially an instructive one by the Civil Administrator, General Lewis, and his staff. I had opportunity for discussions with Generals Clark, Beightler,1 Stearley, and Lewis regarding their attitudes on the question of returning the Ryukyus, or part of them, to Japanese administration. I found that General Stearley, Commanding, 20th Air Force, was the least sympathetic in this regard although his interest relates primarily only to Okinawa and a few other islands of direct interest to the Air Force. For the rest, our military, and this is especially true of General Clark and General Lewis, Civil Administrator, there is an eagerness to see Amami Oshima and other islands north of the 27th parallel returned to Japanese administration. I know that if the question were put officially to General Clark as Commander-in-Chief, he would concur in a decision to return at least some of these islands to Japanese administration. In fact he is eager to do so.
What has surprised me since my arrival in Japan is the absence of public agitation on the subject. I have never been approached by people like Prime Minister Yoshida, Foreign Minister Okazaki, or any one else in the Japanese Government with a plea for the return of the Ryukyus to Japanese administration. The Embassy receives an occasional letter or petition, usually from private individuals or interested organizations. Perhaps the Japanese feel that it would be simply a waste of time on their part, or perhaps now that the issue of ultimate sovereignty is no longer at stake they have simply lost interest in the lesser question of administrative control, but the fact remains they have not raised the question urgently. In the Ryukyu Islands, however, the issue is still being stressed by editorials and press comment, public demonstrations, especially in the northern islands, inclusion in party platforms, and in resolutions by the legislature. On the other hand, the Japanese Foreign Minister has urged and continues to urge the return of former Japanese residents to the Bonin Islands.
My conclusion is that we should keep this matter on ice temporarily with a view to pressing for the return to Japanese administration of some or all of the islands north of the 27th parallel (i.e., roughly those which used to form part of Kagoshima Prefecture) at a time when a political gesture of this sort on our part would be profitable. We may be faced during the coming months with difficulties, and at such time a gesture could be most beneficial. In all of this I am assuming that the Joint Chiefs of Staff would not go whole hog and I am not recommending by any means that we return Okinawa itself, for example, to Japanese administration, at least for the immediate future. Here I believe the Air Force will be [Page 1313] adamant and, when the entire strategic position of these islands is considered, I am in no position to say that the Air Force is wrong. Okinawa is vital to us and we should take our time in consideration of this question. This is particularly true as we are presently under no compelling pressure from the Japanese to return the islands. If such pressure develops later it may be at a time when the general strategic situation may have changed. We are making a tremendous investment in Okinawa in the form of permanent improvements and installations.
These are my rough views on the subject and I would appreciate, at some convenient time, the benefit of the Department’s current thinking.
With warm regards and best wishes, I am
Yours sincerely,
- Maj. Gen. Robert S. Beightler, Deputy Governor of the Ryukyu Islands.↩