Office of the Historian

740.00119 Control (Japan)/4–1847

Memorandum by General of the Army Douglas MacArthur to the Japanese Government 63

AG 009.74 (14 Apr 47) GA
(Scapin 1609)
[Tokyo,] 14 April 1947.

Subject: Travel Documents for Japanese Nationals Traveling Abroad

1.
The Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers contemplates authorizing the travel of selected Japanese nationals to destinations outside the limits of Japan. It is desired that the Imperial Japanese Government, upon specific direction, issue travel documents in the nature of a passport to individuals whom it finds to be Japanese subjects.
2.
In addition to procedures normally followed in the issuance of a passport, these documents shall be issued in conformance with the following instructions:
a.
Travel documents shall be issued to individuals specifically designated by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers.
b.
Each document shall bear a statement to the effect that it is issued by the authority and under the instructions of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, and shall contain a reference to this directive and to the directive specifically authorizing its issuance to the individual concerned.
c.
Each document shall contain a statement of the purpose and period for which the travel has been approved as indicated in the directive authorizing the issuance of a travel document.
d.
Wording shall not be used in these documents which directly, or indirectly, constitutes an address by the Imperial Japanese Government to foreign authorities.
For the Supreme Commander:
E. M. Levy

Colonel, AGD
Adjutant General
  1. Copy transmitted to the Department by the Political Adviser in Japan in his despatch 985, April 18; received May 1.↩