Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, China and Japan, Volume XIV, Part 2

761.5622/1–1253: Telegram

No. 626
The Ambassador in Japan (Murphy) to the Department of State¹

top secret
priority

Tokyo, January 12, 1953—5 p.m.

2224. Mytel 2007.² Vice Foreign Minister Okumura called on me at his request January 10 and informed me that Foreign Office proposed issuing following statement warning Soviet Government on Hokkaido overflights.

“Violations of our territorial air over Hokkaido by foreign military planes have of late become increasingly frequent. Such trespasses are not only forbidden under international law, but they constitute also a grave menace to the security of Japan.

The Government has therefore decided to take the necessary measures, with the cooperation of the United States security forces stationed in Japan, to prevent such violations of Japanese aerial domains in the future.

The Japanese Government takes this opportunity to caution the foreign power concerned against repetition of such violations, and to declare that hereafter, for any consequences of the measures to be taken in order to repel intruding aircraft, the entire responsibility will rest with the country to which the aircraft belongs.”

Okumura asked whether we would concur and said matter would be considered by Cabinet Monday³ afternoon. On his return to Tokyo today I discussed matter with General Clark. He agreed with my opinion that spontaneous Japanese statement on overflights at this time advantageous in view of upcoming discussion of whole problem of defense in connection with 1953 budget and that it should help to focus Japanese attention on existence of Soviet threat in Hokkaido area and upon Japanese need and determination to take proper measures for self-defense. Accordingly I informed Okumura we had no objection to statement.⁴

Press may request Embassy and FEC comment on Japanese public announcement. We would hope to limit remarks to comment that while Cabinet statement entirely spontaneous, Embassy and FEC agree with position Japanese Government has taken.

Okumura also informed me that Cabinet would consider on 12 January text of note which Foreign Office proposes to send Embassy requesting that US security forces take suitable action event of future overflight. He said text was being drafted and wished to know whether transmission such note would be agreeable. I informed him that there was no objection in principle to note subject of course to reading text.

Both General Clark and I presume Department would welcome such note embodying formal request of Japanese Government for support US security forces in matter. As soon as it is received text will be transmitted to Department.⁵

Murphy

1. Repeated for information to Moscow.
2. In telegram 2007, dated Dec. 23, Ambassador Murphy responded to Departmental inquiry that, although the subject had not yet been discussed with the Japanese Government, it was his opinion that “some form of Japanese protest and possibly warning would be most advantageous now that USAF is adequately prepared deal with overflights which was not case in November.” (761.5622/12–2352) See also telegram 2078 from Tokyo,Document 622.
3. Jan. 12.
4. The statement was released in Tokyo on Jan. 13.

5. The draft Japanese note and the Embassy’s draft reply were transmitted to the Department in telegram 2226 from Tokyo, Jan. 26. (761.5622/1–1253) In telegram 2237 from Tokyo, the Embassy proposed modification of the U.S. reply. (761.5622/1–1353) The Departments of State and Defense approved the exchange of notes, and suggested further changes in the U.S. reply, in telegram 1711 to Tokyo, Jan. 14. (761.5622/1–1353) The exchange of notes was made public in Tokyo on Jan. 17.

   In the Japanese note, the government requested that “the United States authorities concerned take effective and appropriate measures to repel” the overflights, should they recur, “for the protection of the common interest of Japan and the United States of America.” In the reply the Embassy stated that in accordance with this request, the “United States Government has instructed the Commander in Chief, Far East Command with all practicable assistance from the Japanese Government to take all possible measures necessary and proper under terms of the security treaty between the United States and Japan dated September 8, 1951, to repel all such violations of Japan’s territorial air.” (Text reconstructed from telegrams 2226 and 2237 from Tokyo and telegram 1711 to Tokyo.)

   For a discussion of the interpretation placed upon this exchange of notes by the Japanese Government, see Martin E. Weinstein, Japan’s Postwar Defense Policy, 1947–1968 (New York, Columbia University Press, 1971).