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

794.5/7–1453: Telegram

No. 663
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in Japan¹

top secret
priority

Washington, July 14, 1953—12:35 p.m.

130. Pass CINCFE. This message supplements Department’s A696² and JCS 933381.³

US Approach

US envisages purpose discussions you and CINCFE authorized reference messages reach understanding with Japanese on plans development defense forces as basis programming US Military Assistance and negotiation Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement. Approach should be in terms Japan must make decision re defense forces for itself. On its part US prepared render assistance Japan.

Japanese Government should be urged take steps educate Japanese public necessity Japan’s own interest defend homeland and defensive nature forces contemplated. Such forces do not mean militarism. US official statements comments or media should not use term “rearmament”.

Army Financed NSF Program

Legislation being drafted which would authorize Secretary Defense transfer Japan FY 54 equipment and supplies procured Department Army funds previously appropriated. This will probably be separate legislation and not in MS Act. However our posture with Japanese Government should be that after June 30, 1953, no equipment will be delivered under present arrangement other than that programmed as of June 30 but presently undelivered for initial equipping present forces. Future delivery and legal transfer equipment for initial equipping any new forces to be raised and transfer title to equipment on loan Japanese Government for present forces will be governed by terms MS bilateral agreement since same purpose served and therefore no differentiation in assurance required should be made.

FY 1954 MSP

For your information only FY–1954 Military Assistance Program as submitted Congress includes approximately $112 million for matériel for Japan ($8 million additional included for training and services). Illustrative supply program follows:

NSF $40 million for training ammunition and training equipment for 110,000 men;

CSF $10.7 million for four coastal minesweepers;

Air Force $61.1 million for 60 F–86’s and 30 T–33 jet trainers.

Force Goals

Japanese should be advised US force goals communicated by JCS to CINCFE and asked consider them with view ultimate working out mutually acceptable plans long range development Japanese forces. Optimum commitment should be secured from Japan. Before execution military assistance agreement official understanding should be reached re expansion defense forces next year or two preferably in form written confidential document which could serve as basis allocation and programming FY 1954 military assistance funds for Japan and preliminary planning FY 1955 assistance program. Specific terms such understanding left discretion Ambassador and CINCFE.

Procurement

This subject separate State–Defense-DMS message.⁴ Program dependent upon Congressional appropriations, country apportionment MDAP funds, program determinations and Japan’s ability produce economically and in reasonable time period. As elsewhere OSP Japan must be related firm programs jointly agreed by recipient countries and US. Since major portion OSP program would be related requirements Japanese forces, program cannot be realistically developed without some understanding with Japanese Government re requirements of forces they willing support. This may be important inducement in obtaining necessary Japanese commitments develop their forces.

Defense and DMS have concurred in foregoing.

Dulles

1. Drafted in NA on July 9 and cleared with FE, S/MSA, the Office of the Director for Mutual Security, and the Department of Defense.
2. Document 637.
3. Document 635.
4. Reference uncertain.