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

795B.11/1–753: Telegram

No. 624
The Ambassador in Japan (Murphy) to the Department of State¹

secret

Tokyo, January 7, 1953—3 p.m.

2164. President Rhee met informally with Yoshida, Okazaki, Clark and myself 6 January.² Meeting was marked by ostensible cordiality and began with fairly lengthy dissertation by Rhee to effect that he had been glad to visit Japan as guest of General Clark; he remembered his preceding visits and then spoke very frankly regarding Korean relations with Japan, saying that he hoped ways and means could be found to improve them. He mentioned especially question of fishing rights, underlining poverty of Korean economy and Korean dependence on fishing for livelihood. He said that he hoped to see representatives of Japanese fishery associations to explain to them problem as viewed by him. He again said that Japan as bigger nation could afford to be more generous in its attitude toward Korea which sacrificed so much in struggle against communism and aggression. He said that at times he was outspoken in his views regarding Japan but he was actuated by friendly spirit.

Yoshida, while making show of good nature and cordiality, was extremely tight-lipped and noncommittal and literally throughout hours conversation contented himself with amenities and jocular references. At end of conversation, Yoshida referred to virtue of patience and said that in solution of all problems patience is essential.

Okazaki, apart from greetings, said not single word. He later told me that he was surprised that Yoshida had been so reticent as he had expected him to say more. He added that, of course, they had been through all this before at time of Mr. Rhee’s earlier visit to Tokyo. I asked Okazaki whether this contact might lead to resumption of active negotiations looking to establishment of friendly relations between two countries. He said frankly he did not know what next step would be as question rested with Mr. Yoshida who had given no indication.

Clark and I took general line that US sympathetic to friendly relation between two countries but we avoided any appearance of attempting to influence conversation.

While contact was cordial and perhaps may lead to better understanding, conversation per se was sterile.³

Murphy

1. Repeated for information to Pusan.

2. Documents in file 694.95B indicate that President Rhee visited Japan at the invitation of General Clark and stayed in American military quarters.

   In telegram 2138 from Tokyo, Jan. 6, Ambassador Murphy reported that Rhee had arrived the previous day and, in the presence of Okazaki, had made a brief speech, conciliatory in tone. “After dinner Rhee and Okazaki had confidential talk. At Rhee’s request dinner proposed by Okazaki was canceled as Rhee said he much preferred to meet with Yoshida, Okazaki, Clark and myself for quiet conversation which is being arranged.” (795B.11/1–653)

3. The Department stated in telegram 1739 to Tokyo, Jan. 19, repeated to Pusan, drafted and approved for transmission in NA, that it hoped Korea and Japan “in the spirit of good will resulting from the Rhee visit” would resume negotiations, and that while it did not want the U.S. to become involved in the substance of the talks, it did wish the Embassies in both countries to encourage them. The Department stated also it hope that Japan would have the “magnanimity” to make the first offer. (694.95B/1–1953) Documents in file 694.95B indicate that both missions actively encouraged the resumption of talks in the following months.

   A Japanese-Korean Conference convened on Apr. 15, 1953, but talks apparently broke off again during the summer of that year. Despatch 2572 from Tokyo, June 2, 1953, contains a résumé of developments in the talks up to that time. (694.95B/6253)