117. Telegram From the Embassy in Japan to the Department of State0
1864. CINCPAC exclusive for Admiral Felt and POLAD. COMUS/Japan exclusive for General Burns. Deptel 1402.1 Treaty Review.
I put very hard to Fujiyama and Yamada reasons why we felt it extremely unwise to have an agreed minute on Treaty Review. I said I would be asking to see Kishi on this problem to explain my own strong personal apprehension re agreed minute. In the meantime I hoped he would inform Kishi promptly of my view.
Last evening Yamada asked to see me urgently. He had just come from long meeting with Kishi and said Kishi will agree to dropping proposal for agreed minute. Also Kishi will agree not to volunteer a public statement on this problem. However when this question is raised in intra-LDP discussions he will take following line which he would also take if he is pressed publicly on matter:
“While the Treaty of mutual cooperation and security is of indefinite duration the period after which either party may give notice for termination has been fixed at ten years. No explicit provision was made for reviewing the Treaty because in the agreed opinion of the two governments stability is a very important factor in the security relationship between the two countries. Obviously, the two parties would consult [Page 246] together for the purpose of reviewing any aspect of the Treaty in case there have developed important changes in the factors affecting peace and security in the Far East.”
I asked Yamada to express our appreciation to Kishi and said I would inform Washington that Kishi’s constructive attitude would seem to have disposed of this problem. I consider this matter as now closed unless Department has other views.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 794.5/12–1459. Secret; Limit Distribution; Repeated to CINCPAC and COMUS/Japan.↩
- Document 114.↩