Office of the Historian

794.5 MSP/2–2654

No. 741
Memorandum by the Acting Director of the Office of Northeast Asian Affairs (McClurkin) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Robertson)

confidential
[Washington,] February 26, 1954.

Subject:

  • Signing of the Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement with Japan

Tokyo’s 2094 (Tab A)1 indicates that Foreign Minister Okazaki has proposed signing the Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement on March 2 Tokyo time since this date is politically advisable in view of the desire of the Japanese Government to have the signing precede the presentation of the budget to the Diet scheduled for the following day. In view of the fact that we are in the process of receiving FOA and Defense clearance on a few minor revisions submitted by Embassy Tokyo and will seek urgent action on any last [Page 1612] minute changes, from a technical point of view we ought to be able to authorize the March 2 signing.

Cognizant of Circular 25 which requires approval by the Secretary or Under Secretary prior to the negotiation of an Agreement, we have been informed by L that in view of the Secretary’s authorization to undertake negotiation of a Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement (Tab B)2 it is not necessary now to receive from him the authorization to sign provided there are no major changes from the draft originally approved by him.

NA and L have carefully reviewed the changes made in the course of the negotiations in the original draft and conclude that no major modifications of the original draft have been made in the course of the negotiations. Some of the original language and proposals have been modified to conform with agreements negotiated with other countries—thus making the agreement more acceptable to the Japanese. The provisions dealing with tax relief on equipment and other materials falling within the Agreement have been tightened. The article and annex dealing with the status of the MAAG personnel now conform generally with provisions in the NATO and other agreements in accord with the Secretary’s instruction. An annex has been added with respect to the scope of assistance to the effect that the United States will give consideration, to the extent that other factors will permit, to procurement in Japan of supplies and equipment to be made available to Japan, as well as to the other countries, where feasible, and to providing information to and facilitating the training of technicians from Japan’s defense-production industries. We have already undertaken both these programs in a limited way.

There is attached a copy of the latest draft of the Agreement along with the annexes to the agreement and arrangements for the return of equipment, dated February 16, as submitted by Tokyo Embassy (Tab C).3 This draft is still subject to minor revisions.

Recommendation

It is recommended that in view of the Secretary’s authorization to undertake the negotiation of a Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement and the fact that no major changes have been made in the original draft as approved by the Secretary you empower me, subject to State, Defense and FOA clearance of last minute revisions, to authorize the Ambassador to sign the Agreement.4

  1. Dated Feb. 26, not found attached. (794.5/2–2654)↩
  2. Composite draft dated Feb. 16, not printed.↩
  3. Composite draft dated Feb. 16, of arrangements for the return of equipment, not printed.↩

  4. As typed, this sentence originally concluded: “to sign the Agreement on March 2.” The last three words are crossed out.

    This memorandum bears Robertson’s initials, but no other indication of action by him.

    ↩