740.00119 Control (Japan)/6–2449: Airgram

The Chargé in Japan (Huston) to the Secretary of State

restricted

A–161. The following is text of a GHQ, SCAP, press release dated June 21, 1949, announcing that the term “Military Government” will be changed to “Civil Affairs” commencing July 1, 1949.

The Military Government Sections and Military Government Teams of Eighth Army will be redesignated Civil Affairs Sections and Civil Affairs Teams, respectively, effective July 1, 1949, it was announced today by General Headquarters, Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers.

The announcement stated that the term Military Government has always been misleading in that it implied that direct Military Government has been exercised in Japan in a manner similar to that in other occupied areas. From the beginning the Japanese Government has been charged with carrying out Occupation directives and Military Government, in the accepted sense of the term, was never established in Japan. The mission of the so-called Military Government Sections and Teams is one of surveillance and reporting upon performance.

It was pointed out that, in keeping with the changing aspect of the Occupation, the term Civil Affairs will be adopted as being more nearly descriptive of the true functions of the Occupation agencies.

This change represents a further step by Headquarters in its program of conferring more authority upon the Japanese Government and in reducing the role of the Occupation. It is not expected, however, that the functions of Civil Affairs agencies will be materially diminished by this change in title.

Huston