740.00119 Control (Japan)/11–1346
The Assistant Secretary of State (Hilldring) to the Director of the Civil Affairs Division, War
Department (Echols)
Washington, November 23, 1946.
My Dear General Echols: There is enclosed a
draft message to the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers summarizing
a statement by the Soviet Representative on the Far Eastern Commission
with reference to the question of the execution of the purge directive
of January 4, 1946.47
In view of the fact that this matter is now under discussion in the Far
Eastern Commission and an urgent reply is desired, it is requested that
the enclosed draft message be transmitted by the War Department to the
Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers by cable.
Sincerely yours,
[Enclosure]
Draft Telegram for General of the Army Douglas
MacArthur
On November 4, 1946, the Soviet representative on the FEC submitted a statement with regard
to the question of the execution of the purge directive of January
4, 1946. Basing his comments on a summary of the purge prepared by
the Dept of State and circulated to
the FEC, the Soviet representative
stated that the Soviet group did not feel that up to the present the
Japanese Govt had fully carried out the directive of the Supreme
Commander in spite of the fact that the directive was to be
fulfilled six months from January 4, 1946.
- I.
- The Soviets stated that the U.S. report “admitted that ‘as of
29 July 1946 remained to be screened about 1000 officials of 165
corporations, in various fields.’ These corporations, as it was
further pointed
[Page 366]
out,
are to be purged ‘because their largest stockholders are
national policy companies.’” [It should be noted that the U.S.
report reads as follows and gives a different impression than
when read out of context: “As of 29 July 1946 there remained to
be screened about 1000 officials of 165 corporations in various
fields. These corporations are not Government-owned or
controlled, but under a more rigorous application than
originally employed they have been added to the list because
their largest stockholders are national policy companies. This
group represents an addendum to rather than a residue of the
original program.”]48
- II.
- The Soviets pointed to the following statement in the U.S.
report as evidence of incompleteness of purge: “In the
Demobilization Board (formerly the First and Second
Demobilization Ministries) are about 4000 officials who have not
been screened. These are all former Army and Navy officers
subject to mandatory removal under Category ‘B’ of Appendix ‘A’
but are listed in formal requests of the Japanese Govt to
continue their employment as provided in paragraph 8 of SCAPIN 550 in order to carry out
the repatriation, demobilization and re-absorption into civilian
life of the approximately 1,500,000 Japanese military personnel
who are still overseas.”
- III.
- The Soviets stated that they were in possession of some data
that there were still in the House of Representatives 18 members
who were elected through bribery and other violations of the law
and that the results of the “inquests” of these Diet members
were still unknown. Among them are the following members of the
Liberal Party: Ida Tomohei, Arafune Seijiro, Makino Kansaku,
Hiroaka Ryozo; Progressive Party: Sekine Kyuzo, Abe Shungo; non
party: Zushi Yasumasa and others.
- IV.
- The Soviets stated that there were certain members of the
House of Representatives who had compromised themselves due to
their association with the militarists and their activity in the
Imperial Rule Assistance Association during the war. As
described by the Soviets they are:
- Matsuda Shoichi—former adviser to the Imperial Rule
Assistance Association and in 1942 elected to the Diet
on the recommendations of the IRAA;
- Inukai Ken—former economic adviser to the Wang
Ching-wei49 Government and one of
the leaders of the “House for Development of
Asia”;
- Tahara Haruji—Administrator of New Guinea during the
war; chief of the second section of the Department of
South Seas in the Navy Department; in 1942 recommended
by the Imperial Rule Political
[Page 367]
Association to Diet; and follower
of ideology for alliance of the Axis powers and for the
undermining of the relations with the Allied
Powers.
- V.
- In view of this statement the Soviet delegation has proposed
that the following policy decision be presented to the FEC for its consideration:
- “1. To consider the fulfillment of the SCAP’s purge directive
of January 4, 1946, by the Japanese Government as
unsatisfactory.
- “2. To formulate a policy decision according to
which the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers
could issue a directive to the Japanese Government
to accelerate the complete fulfillment of the purge
directive in the nearest future.
- “3. To recommend that the Supreme Commander for
the Allied Powers delete paragraph 8 of his
directive 550 of January 4, which permits the
Japanese Government under the pretext of
‘irreplaceability’ to keep in public office persons
which who fall undoubtedly under the purge directive
of January 4.”
- The Supreme Commander is requested to comment, particularly on
paragraphs I to IV and reply as soon as feasible.
