263. Telegram From the Embassy in Japan to the Department of State1
3159. Ref: Embtel 663.2 Subject: Wool Textiles. On April 5 Nakayama (Director, Econ Affairs Bureau, FonOff) informed EconMin of agreed GOJ response to U.S. request for meeting on wool textiles as follows:
- (1)
- GOJ has given careful consideration to U.S. proposal to send mission to Japan for discussion wool textile situation;
- (2)
- GOJ wishes to reiterate that its position against wool textile agreement and against a conference for purpose of concluding such agreement is unchanged;
- (3)
- If, with full knowledge above GOJ position, USG nevertheless wants to send mission, GOJ has no reason to refuse and will receive mission;
- (4)
- GOJ does not consider that U.S. proposal is in conformity with its understanding of discussions carried on at time of Sato-Johnson meeting. GOJ wishes to state for record that in its view Japanese suggestion for meeting of industry representatives would have been most useful approach to question.
In response to Nakayama’s question, EconMin said Embassy had no instructions re timing of proposed meeting but assumed U.S. would wish to move quickly. Nakayama said he concerned that, if meeting held while Congress in session, particularly while Congress dealing with Wool Act, and meeting does not produce results satisfactory to U.S., there is danger of unilateral action by Congress. On other hand he recognized that protracted delay in scheduling meeting might have same result. On balance he thought best time for meeting would be during upper house campaign period preceding upper Diet house election when politicians and general public would be distracted by election issues and meeting would attract relatively less notice in Japan. Election expected to be held either June 20 or 27 and official campaign period will begin one month earlier, i.e. May 20 or 27.