894.628/6–1947: Telegram
The Political Adviser in Japan (Atcheson) to the Secretary of State
163. Cite 53489. 1. Following memorandum dated 17 June received today from Australian Mission:
[“]The Australian Mission in Japan presents its compliments to the Diplomatic Section of General Headquarters, Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, and has the honour to refer to the proposal for a second Japanese whaling expedition to the Antarctic. The Australian Government is deeply concerned that this proposal should have been made. It feels that this is a question of great importance to the future of Australia. It accepts the view that the food products of whaling expeditions are important for Japan but it believes that this objective can be achieved more effectively by other means which would be free of the undesirable and dangerous features associated with this proposal.
Australian Government is confident that it could arrange and conduct a successful whaling expedition to the Antarctic during the coming summer if whaling vessels in the possession of Japan were quickly made available to it. It would be prepared to make appropriate arrangements with the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers for the distribution of the food products to the Japanese people. It believes that an expedition conducted in this way would produce the maximum extraction of oil which would, of course, be distributed in accordance with world needs.
[Page 230]The Australian Government most earnestly desires that the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers should give sympathetic consideration to this request.”92
2. We are replying under this date as follows:
“The Diplomatic Section of General Headquarters, Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, presents its compliments to the Australian Mission in Japan and has the honor to acknowledge receipt of the latter’s memorandum of 17 June 1947 in regard to the question of a second Japanese whaling expedition to the Antarctic.
As the Australian Mission is doubtless aware, this question has been and is at present a matter of discussion between the governments concerned. Nevertheless, in an endeavor to explore every possible area of agreement, the Mission’s proposal has been given the most careful study by this headquarters.
On the basis of expert opinion it appears that the proposal is technically impracticable. It is assumed that it is the Australian concept that under the proposal Japanese whaling crews would man the vessels in question as the accommodations on the vessels are unsuitable to any but Japanese whalers accustomed to them. In such case the principal difference in conduct of the expedition would be that it would be under Australian control rather than under Allied control as was the first Japanese whaling expedition to the Antarctic. This Headquarters can perceive no advantage to the operation of a Japanese-manned and equipped expedition under Australian control rather than under SCAP control. On the contrary it is believed that any such arrangement would violate the underlying principle of the occupation that it shall have the character of an Allied operation under the executive authority of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers. Furthermore, to attain the maximum results for a 1947 expedition, active preparations therefor would [therefor should] have been initiated by May 15.
The delay which would be involved in seeking Allied agreement to turn over Japanese whaling vessels to the Australian Government and in organizing any such expedition would obviate any possibility of obtaining from the forthcoming whaling season the needed food to assist the United States in supplying the deficit in this country. If in consequence of such agreement it were desired to use non-Japanese crews, the making of necessary alteration in the vessels would itself preclude any expedition during the forthcoming season.
It is believed that the Australian Mission will readily appreciate these considerations. As mentioned above, the question of a second Japanese whaling expedition is under discussion between the United States, Australian and other interested governments and as such involves basic policies which can only be determined on the highest governmental level.”
- In its aide-mémoire of June 23 the Australian Embassy informed the Department of its concern and regret that action had been authorized without first considering the Australian protest and offer of an alternative. The latter included turning over to Australia for use in the whaling season of a Japanese factory ship and chasers. (894.628/6–2347) On June 25 the New Zealand Legation added its warm support to the Australian proposal of an alternative (894.628/6–2547).↩