Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, China and Japan, Volume XIV, Part 2

694.95B/10–2952: Telegram

No. 609
The Ambassador in Japan (Murphy) to the Department of State¹

confidential

Tokyo, October 29, 1952—noon.

1397. Fol is text draft note prepared by Emb and approved by CINCUNC.

Begin Text. Embassy presents compliments to Ministry Foreign Affairs and has honor refer Ministry’s note verbale of Oct 18, 1952,² stating that JG has decided lend its cooperation to military actions of UN forces and describing measures which JG has decided to put into effect with respect to Japanese fishing vessels operating in sea defense zone established by UNC.

Decision of JG to cooperate in military actions of UN forces is appreciated. It is anticipated that measures conducive to attainment of objectives indicated in Embassy’s note of Oct 13 may be taken as found appropriate.

Embassy desires reaffirm that sea defense zone was established on grounds of military necessity and to give assurance that regulations pertaining to zone are being administered on non discriminatory basis. Although no vessel found in zone will be apprehended except under suspicious circumstances or in cases of extreme recalcitrance, any vessel entering or detected therein whose presence is considered to constitute element of jeopardy to security of UN military or naval operations will be warned out of this zone in order to ensure there is no interference with attainment of purpose for which zone was established.

It is hoped that reasons compelling establishment of sea defense zone are appreciated by JG and that execution of measures being taken by UNC will not be attended by unwarranted difficulties affecting vessels of any interested party. End Text.

Dept’s and Pusan’s comments wld be appreciated.³

Above note completely noncommittal, as is consistent with CINCUNC position. CINCUNC unwilling say Japanese boats can fish or can not fish in defense zone, leaving execution orders to operating unit commander. After my conversation with Okazaki Oct 23 JG has been quiet about matter; the press comment continues critical.

Murphy

1. Repeated for information to Pusan (copy to CINCUNC).
2. For a partial summary, see telegram 1347 from Tokyo, Document 607.
3. Documents in file 694.95B indicate that both the Department and the Embassy in the Republic of Korea approved the draft and that the Embassy in Tokyo presented a note identical in substance to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Nov. 4. Text is enclosure No. 2 to despatch 928 from Tokyo, Nov. 12. (795B.022/11–1252)