894.85/5–1446
Memorandum by the Department of
State to the Secretary General of the Far Eastern
Commission (Johnson)
secret
Washington, May 24, 1946.
In accordance with instructions of May 14, 1946 from the State–War–Navy
Coordinating Committee47 there are enclosed, for the information of the
Far Eastern Commission, a statement of United States policy and a
directive based thereon to the Supreme Commander for the Allied
Powers48 regarding arrangements for release to claimant
nations of former Allied vessels captured by Japan.
[Annex]
Statement of U. S. Policy
- a.
- The control of SCAP over
former Allied vessels recaptured from the Japanese should be
extended to authority to use former Allied war and other public
vessels and miscellaneous water-borne craft of all types.
- b.
- SCAP should be authorized to
release all former Allied war or other public vessels regardless
of size (except public merchant vessels) and all former Allied
water-borne craft of any type of less than 500 gross tons direct
to claimant nations when these vessels are no longer needed by
SCAP for any task connected
with the implementation of the Japanese surrender.
- c.
- The CSAB should be designated as SCAP’s agent for the purpose of disposing of former
Allied public merchant or privately owned merchant vessels and
other privately owned water-borne craft of all types of 500
gross tons and over.
