Memorandum, State Department Summary of Telegrams

NCT (NAVAL AIDE) 452 the OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE DECLASSIFIED WASHINGTON E.O. 12065, Sec. 3-402 State Dept. Guidelines, March 6, 1982 NLT, Date 9-11-5 December 31, 1952 By DEB TOP SECRET SECURITY INFORMATION SUMMARY OF TELEGRAMS JAPAN Ambassador Murphy and General Clark have held a general discussion regarding problems of Japanese rearmament with Prime Minister Yoshida and Foreign Minister Okazaki. Both US officials consider the conversation was most timely and constructive. They believe the Prime Minister especially now possesses a much better knowledge of the practical considerations involved and report that both he and the Foreign Minister indicated a general desire to make progress and to cooperate with us. Ambassador Murphy told the Japanese that as a result of statements by members of the Government he was con- fused as to the Prime Minister's basic thinking and program re- garding Japanese constitutional provisions affecting rearmament, the buildup of the national security forces, expenditure of funds, military production and other defense matters. The Prime Min- ister noted that the basic attitude of the Japanese Government on rearmament is of necessity a delicate state secret and that ob- viously the Japanese people need time to readjust to the changed concepts of a rearmament program and to awaken to the need for a defense organization as an inherent right of an independent state. The Foreign Minister then suggested that Japanese facilities might be used to provide areas such as Indochina with military equipment, possibly under the heading of reparations. General Clark reviewed the situation relating to the National Security Force, pointing to the lack of Japanese co- ordination on lower echelons regarding planning and coordination, as well as to the long delay in briefing the ground force to the 110,000 ceiling. He said we were prepared to supply this force additional equipment, but were under pressure to divert it to the Republic of Korea or the Chinese Nationalists if the Japanese did not take advantage of our offer. TOP SECRET SECURITY INFORMA! ION