740.00119 Control(Japan)/8–2045
The Department of State to the British Embassy
Aide-Mémoire
Reference is made to the Aide-Mémoire dated August 20, 1945 of the British Embassy, to which there were annexed tentative proposals regarding machinery for the control of Japan.
The Government of the United States attaches the greatest importance to the undertaking assumed by the Four Major Powers party to the Moscow Declaration of October 30, 1943, that they “will act together in all matters relating to the surrender and disarmament” of their common enemies. It welcomes, therefore, the putting forward for purposes of consultation by the British Government of tentative proposals with regard to the machinery to be set up for the control of metropolitan Japan. The Government of the United States is prepared to consult with the major allies with regard to the policies, principles, and standards by which the fulfillment by Japan of its obligation under the instrument of surrender may be determined, as well as to united action in all matters relating to the surrender and disarmament of Japan.
It is the view of the Government of the United States that the establishment by the major allies, along with such other of the United Nations in the Far East or having important territorial interests in that region as the major allies may agree upon, of effective machinery for consultation should be their earliest preoccupation. It is believed that consultation of a multilateral character through normal diplomatic channels on the steps necessary to ensure the fulfillment by Japan of the terms of surrender would be unlikely to yield expeditiously that unity of views which this Government conceives to be essential for the disarmament of Japan. It has accordingly proposed to the Governments of the other major allies the establishment of a Far Eastern Advisory Commission to serve as the principal channel of consultation with regard to the problems arising out of the surrender of Japan. It has also proposed that representation on the Commission include the Governments of France, Philippine Islands, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Netherlands, as well as of the Governments of the Four Major Allies.
The Government of the United States confidently hopes that its proposals will be acceptable to the other governments concerned, and [Page 689] it is prepared at an early meeting of the Advisory Commission to put forward its own views with regard to the machinery which should be set up for the control of Japan proper and at the same time to comment on the proposals tentatively presented by the British Government.