740.00119 Control (Japan)/11–2445
The British Ambassador (Halifax) to the Secretary of State
G107/ /45
His Majesty’s Ambassador presents his compliments to the Secretary of State and has the honour to inform him that His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom have reached the conclusion that, irrespective of any Allied control arrangements which may be decided upon for Japan, an increase in the British representation there is now a matter of urgency. They feel however that the time has not yet come to appoint a political representative, as foreshadowed in Mr. Bevin’s letter of the 4th October to Mr. Byrnes,40 and that the present needs will best be served by building up the British staff already in Japan. They have therefore decided to add political, financial and other technical experts to the British Staff Section under General Gairdner, the Prime Minister’s personal representative with General MacArthur, so as to constitute a liaison mission, with General Gairdner as its head, organized in such a way that it can establish close liaison with the main sections of General MacArthur’s Headquarters.
- 2.
- His Majesty’s Government propose to appoint about ten Foreign Service officers to this mission, together with suitable clerical staff,—a total of some twenty-four persons in all. One or two of the Foreign Service Officers might be detached to Yokohama or Kobe and another perhaps to Seoul. The senior Foreign Service Officer would be Chief Political Adviser to General Gairdner. It is not intended to send the whole party out at once. It is desired to send immediately three or four Foreign Service Officers and three or four technical experts [Page 869] together with some clerical assistants. The names and proposed travel schedules of these persons, who will not necessarily be travelling together, will be communicated to the State Department as soon as possible. The remainder of the mission will be sent to Japan as personnel and accommodation become available.
- 3.
- The mission will be housed in the first instance, and as far as possible, in the compound of His Majesty’s Embassy in Tokyo and, in the case of the officer for Seoul, in His Majesty’s Consulate General there. His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom hope that until other provision can be made for them they may rely on General MacArthur’s Headquarters for rations and transport. It is understood that United States civilian staff attached to General MacArthur wear United States service uniform without badges of rank and it is intended that civilian members of the British mission should similarly wear British service uniform.
- 4.
- Lord Halifax hopes that the United States Government will be good enough to inform General MacArthur of these proposals and to ask him to provide the members of the mission with all possible facilities both on their arrival in Japan and subsequently in the course of their official duties. They will be instructed to work in the closest harmony and co-operation with General MacArthur and His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom hope that their presence in Japan will be of mutual benefit in dealing with matters affecting that country.