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b. Demilitarization.
The new Japanese Constitution, which became effective on 3 May 1947, states
in Article 9, Chapter II, "Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice
and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation,
or the threat or use of force as a means of settling disputes with other nations. For
the above purposes, land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never
be maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized."
The Far Eastern Commission on 12 February 1948 adopted a policy decision
regarding the prohibition of military activity in Japan and disposition of Japanese
military equipment. By the terms of this decision, the Japanese are permitted to
maintain civil police for the purpose of maintaining law and order and to equip them
with rifles, pistols and other small arms; possession, production or importation of
weapons and strategic raw materials other than essential for this purpose and for
the use of duly licensed hunters is strictly forbidden. Military and para-military
organizations are to be dissolved, military leaders eliminated from public life, military
training and instruction excised, and the manufacture of aircraft of all kinds and
the construction of naval combatant and auxiliary vessels or craft or conversion of
commercial vessels to military uses prohibited.
Enforcement of this policy falls to SCAP pending conclusion of a peace treaty,
the terms of which will doubtless include a commitment on this subject. In this con-
nection, it is possible that some or all member nations of the FEC may bind themselves
to enforce Japan's disarmament and demilitarization. In the absence of treaty pro-
visions binding or enforceable against Japan, Japan's rearmament for purposes of
"defense" would appear to be a possibility within present constitutional phraseology
as interpreted by those Japanese who hope to re-establish Japan's armed forces.
3. FACTORS IN JAPAN'S MILITARY POTENTIAL.
a. Geographic.
Lying off the eastern shores of Asia, the Japanese archipelago is a partly sub-
merged mountain chain which flanks the mainland. The position of Japan, adjacent
to Asia on the great circle route from North America to China, makes it possible for the
power dominating the islands and surrounding waters to control the movements of
surface craft between the Soviet Maritime Province and the Pacific and probably also
to render ineffective the ports of North China.
b. Manpower.
Abundant and cheap manpower always has been an important factor in en-
abling Japan to compete with other Powers in economic as well as military fields.
Of the 6,000,000 former members of the Japanese armed forces, over 5,000,000 have been
domobilized and returned to civilian life. Although no military organization of any
kind exists and installations, equipment, uniforms, and weapons have been destroyed
or converted to civilian use, the number of recently demobilized military men comprises
the largest group of well trained military manpower in the Far East. They would
add materially to the military potential of any Power that might undertake to
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"ocrText": "SECRET\nb. Demilitarization.\nThe new Japanese Constitution, which became effective on 3 May 1947, states\nin Article 9, Chapter II, \"Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice\nand order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation,\nor the threat or use of force as a means of settling disputes with other nations. For\nthe above purposes, land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never\nbe maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized.\"\nThe Far Eastern Commission on 12 February 1948 adopted a policy decision\nregarding the prohibition of military activity in Japan and disposition of Japanese\nmilitary equipment. By the terms of this decision, the Japanese are permitted to\nmaintain civil police for the purpose of maintaining law and order and to equip them\nwith rifles, pistols and other small arms; possession, production or importation of\nweapons and strategic raw materials other than essential for this purpose and for\nthe use of duly licensed hunters is strictly forbidden. Military and para-military\norganizations are to be dissolved, military leaders eliminated from public life, military\ntraining and instruction excised, and the manufacture of aircraft of all kinds and\nthe construction of naval combatant and auxiliary vessels or craft or conversion of\ncommercial vessels to military uses prohibited.\nEnforcement of this policy falls to SCAP pending conclusion of a peace treaty,\nthe terms of which will doubtless include a commitment on this subject. In this con-\nnection, it is possible that some or all member nations of the FEC may bind themselves\nto enforce Japan's disarmament and demilitarization. In the absence of treaty pro-\nvisions binding or enforceable against Japan, Japan's rearmament for purposes of\n\"defense\" would appear to be a possibility within present constitutional phraseology\nas interpreted by those Japanese who hope to re-establish Japan's armed forces.\n3. FACTORS IN JAPAN'S MILITARY POTENTIAL.\na. Geographic.\nLying off the eastern shores of Asia, the Japanese archipelago is a partly sub-\nmerged mountain chain which flanks the mainland. The position of Japan, adjacent\nto Asia on the great circle route from North America to China, makes it possible for the\npower dominating the islands and surrounding waters to control the movements of\nsurface craft between the Soviet Maritime Province and the Pacific and probably also\nto render ineffective the ports of North China.\nb. Manpower.\nAbundant and cheap manpower always has been an important factor in en-\nabling Japan to compete with other Powers in economic as well as military fields.\nOf the 6,000,000 former members of the Japanese armed forces, over 5,000,000 have been\ndomobilized and returned to civilian life. Although no military organization of any\nkind exists and installations, equipment, uniforms, and weapons have been destroyed\nor converted to civilian use, the number of recently demobilized military men comprises\nthe largest group of well trained military manpower in the Far East. They would\nadd materially to the military potential of any Power that might undertake to\nIV-5\nSECRET"
}