Office of the Historian

033.9411/6–554: Telegram

No. 766
The Chargé in Japan (Parsons) to the Department of State

confidential
niact
Tokyo, June 5, 1954—1 p.m.

3022. Okumura sent for me at noon today to say that the Prime Minister’s trip had been postponed indefinitely.1 He said that the political situation while not at all alarming required him to stay here until Parliamentary Government had been established on a firm basis. Mr. Yoshida felt that at all costs a repetition of the disturbances of two nights ago must be avoided. If at some time in the future the Prime Minister should decide to make the trip, he would be sure to give us ample notice of his intentions. Mr. Okumura then offered the sincere apologies of his government for any difficulties caused in Washington and expressed regret that Ambassador Allison had been so inconvenienced. I told Okumura I was sure my government would share regret felt here and would greatly appreciate apologies. I thought that there might well be feeling of relief in Washington at indefinite postponement as it might have been most difficult to make revised plans for later this month. Okumura said Prime Minister was meeting with Liberal Party leaders this morning preparatory to moving ten-day extension of Diet session later today. Chief Cabinet Secretary Fukunaga2 would announce indefinite postponement shortly so Washington could take whatever action necessary to cancel Prime Minister’s engagements.

Depth of chagrin and embarrassment here likely reach proportions difficult for us to imagine even in light of Okumura’s prompt and sincerely expressed apologies. Diet riot and fiasco over trip has caused national loss of face before whole world and will shake people’s confidence. Accordingly, if any statement is planned in Washington, believe it would be helpful to include language stressing [Page 1654] our friendship and interest in well-being Japanese people. Should, of course, avoid anything which could be interpreted here as American intervention on Yoshida’s behalf.

Since dictated foregoing, radio flash has reported Fukunaga’s announcement.

Parsons

  1. The memorandum of the Secretary’s telephone conversation with Allison on the morning of June 4 reads:

    “The Sec. asked re the Yoshida trip. A. said he didn’t know. He telephoned and the last cable said Y. hoped to get off Sunday. We won’t know until tonight or tomorrow. The Sec. asked what was behind it. A. said the Socialists are being difficult about the police revision bill and are making it hard for him to get abroad because of general nastiness. Sunday is actually unlikely, and the whole trip may have to be cancelled. Y. may dissolve the Diet and then there would be a new election, but they don’t want that because they are afraid the Socialists may come in.” (Memorandum prepared by Phyllis D. Bernau, secretary to Dulles, Eisenhower Library, Dulles papers, “Telephone Conversations”)

    The “last cable” is telegram 3021 from Tokyo, sent June 5, received in Washington early in the morning of June 4, not printed. (033.9411/6–554)

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  2. Kenji Fukunaga.↩