37. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Japan0
802. Pass COMUS Japan exclusive for General Burns. For Ambassador. Embtel 1115.1 We would prefer before reaching decision on treaty area as proposed by Fujiyama or some alternative to receive Japanese views on other aspects of treaty and related proposals submitted to them.
Subject to foregoing following are preliminary comments FYI.
Understand Japanese desire to limit treaty area in new Security Treaty to Japan home islands but this proposal raises problems for us. Agreeable to deletion of Article 3 Islands from treaty area. However, absence of any territory other than Japanese in treaty area makes treaty susceptible to criticism, particularly from Congressional and public circles, for lack of mutuality of type included in our other treaty arrangements in Far Eastern area. More specifically, failure to include any US sovereign territory in treaty area may be interpreted as move by Japan toward non-involvement in event US territorial interests under direct attack. This might result in possible non-availability of US bases and forces stationed in Japan for active defense of these areas except as US forces are pulled out from Japan and operate from other Pacific bases.
Under present conditions, possibility cannot be excluded of direct Commie attack on US Pacific territories bypassing Japan. In return for treaty commitment covering defense of Japan, we were not anticipating at this time Japanese participation in military actions outside Japan area in defense of such US territory. By inclusion of US Pacific territory in Treaty area, however, we looked for indication of Japanese concern over defense of US territorial interests at least to extent of agreeing 1) to our use of US bases and forces in Japan to assist in defending against attacks on these areas and 2) to Japanese taking appropriate military actions within Japan area. E.g., in event US territories attacked, Japanese might [Page 107] for example attack Soviet aircraft headed to or from US territory and overflying Japanese territory. End FYI.
Would appreciate your comments.
This message has been cleared with Defense.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 794.5/11–2858. Secret; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Richard L. Sneider, Officer in Charge of Japanese Affairs, on December 3; cleared with L, S/S, and DOD; and approved by Robertson. Repeated to Naha exclusive for Deming and General Booth, CINCPAC exclusive for Admiral Felt and POLAD, and COMUS/Japan.↩
- Document 35.↩