740.00119 Control (Japan)/11–3045: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman)
Washington, December 1, 1945—6 p.m.
2433. There follows the text of the revised tentative draft of the Allied Council, referred to in my telegram No. 2432.
- “1. There shall be established an Allied Council with its seat in Tokyo under the Chairmanship of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers (or his Deputy) for the purpose of consulting with and advising the Supreme Commander in regard to the implementation of the terms of surrender, occupation and control of Japan and of directives supplementary thereto.
- 2. The membership of the Allied Council shall consist of the Supreme Commander (or his Deputy), who shall be Chairman and United States member; Union of Soviet Socialist Republics member; Chinese member; and a British Commonwealth of Nations member. Each member shall be entitled to have an appropriate staff, the size of which shall be fixed in agreement with the Chairman of the Council.
- 3. The Allied Council shall meet not less often than once every 2 weeks.
- 4. The Supreme Commander shall issue all orders for the implementation of the terms of surrender, occupation and control of Japan and directives supplementary thereto. He will consult and advise with the Council upon orders involving questions of principle in advance of their issuance, the exigencies of the situation permitting. His decision upon all matters shall be controlling. In all cases action will be carried out under and through the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers who is the sole executive authority for the Allied Powers within the area of his command.
- 5. Action to modify the agreed regime of Allied control for Japan or to approve revisions or modifications of the Japanese Constitution will be taken only in accordance with decisions of the Far Eastern Commission.”
Byrnes