January–November 1969: The Decision for Okinawa Reversion
1. Telegram From the Embassy in Japan to the Department of State
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 533, Country Files, Far East, Japan, Vol. I. Confidential; Exdis.
2. National Security Study Memorandum 5
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 365, Subject Files, National Security Study Memoranda, Nos. 1–42.
3. National Intelligence Estimate
Source: Central Intelligence Agency, ODDI Registry of NIEs and SNIEs, Job 79-R01012A. Secret. The Central Intelligence Agency and the intelligence organizations of the Department of State, the Department of Defense, the Atomic Energy Commission, and the National Security Agency participated in the preparation this estimate. The Director of the CIA submitted this estimate with the concurrence of all members of the USIB with the exception of the representative of the FBI who abstained on the grounds that it was outside of his jurisdiction.
4. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon
Source: Library of Congress, Kissinger Papers, RD drawer 1, Memoranda to the President, 1969–72. Top Secret; [handling restriction not declassified]. On March 18, Kissinger sent this memorandum to the President under a memorandum that read: “Although Okinawa will be considered by the National Security Council shortly, I thought you would be interested in this think-piece which outlines the essential elements of the Okinawan problem.”
5. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 533, Country Files, Far East, Japan, Vol. I. No classification marking. Sent for action. In a February 5 memorandum to Kissinger, Assistants to the President Ellsworth and Dent provided information on Nixon’s 1968 campaign commitment to protect the U.S. textile industry. (Ibid., Box 399, Subject Files, Textiles, Vol. I)
6. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 533, Country Files, Far East, Japan, Vol I. Secret. Drafted by Sneider. The meeting took place in the White House. On May 10 Eagleburger approved this memorandum with distribution to the Department of State. (Ibid.) On April 29 Sneider drafted Kissinger’s talking points for this meeting, informing Kissinger that Togo was visiting Washington in order to present Japan’s initial position concerning the Okinawa negotiations. Sneider remarked, “Since your views will have considerable weight in Tokyo, I would suggest that you take a fairly tough line—it is good negotiating tactics with the Japanese.” (Ibid.)
8. Paper Prepared by the National Security Council Staff
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD Files: FRC 330–75–0103, Box 12, Japan, 092. Top Secret. Attached as Tab B of briefing materials prepared for the Secretary of Defense and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff prior to the April 30 NSC meeting. See Document 9.
9. Minutes of a National Security Council Meeting
Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, National Security Council, Box TS 82, Meetings, Jan.–Apr. 1969. No classification marking. The meeting time is taken from the President’s Daily Diary. (National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Central Files) These minutes are taken from a June 9 draft that apparently was never revised. The draft was based on a tape recording of the meeting. Alexander Haig took handwritten notes of this meeting. (Ibid., NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–109, NSC Minutes, Originals 1969 [3 of 5])
10. Paper Prepared by the National Security Council Staff
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–036, Review Group Meeting, Asian Trade Problems, 5/2/69. Confidential. On April 28, Nixon decided to devote a full NSC Cabinet Committee meeting on economic policy to the consideration of U.S. trade relations with Japan and the other Asian countries that Secretary of Commerce Stans was scheduled to visit during his May trip to East Asia. (HAK talking points, Review Group meeting, May 2; ibid.) To prepare for this meeting, the NSC staff drafted on short notice a paper concerning the “US Trade Mission to the Far East,” which drew upon the Interagency Group paper prepared in response to NSSM 5 and another paper in response to NSSM 16 on trade policy. The NSSM 5 paper is ibid., Box H–128, National Security Study Memoranda, [1 of 2], NSSM 5. The NSSM 16 paper on trade policy is summarized in Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, vol. IV, Foreign Assistance, International Development, Trade Policies, 1969–1972, Document 189. The NSC Secretariat sent this paper to the Review Group on May 1. No record of this Review Group meeting has been found, but Kissinger did receive talking points for the meeting. (National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–036, Review Group Meeting, Asian Trade Problems, 5/2/69) Following discussion by the Review Group, a few revisions were made to the paper. (Ibid.) After telephone comments from the relevant agencies, a second revision of the paper, which is the version printed here, was discussed at the 10 a.m. May 7 NSC meeting. See Document 11.
12. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 533, Country Files, Far East, Japan, Vol. I. Secret. Drafted by Sneider. Lawrence Eagleburger, acting on behalf of Kissinger, approved the distribution of this memorandum of conversation to the Departments of State and Defense.
13. National Security Decision Memorandum 13
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–210, National Security Council Decision Memoranda, NSDM 13. Top Secret. On May 23 Sneider informed Kissinger that both the leadership of the Department of Defense and the JCS “were satisfied with the draft Decision Memorandum with one change assigning specific action on the negotiating strategy paper to the EA/IG and the Under Secretaries Committee.” (Memorandum from Sneider to Kissinger, May 23; ibid.) On May 24 Kissinger sent this decision memorandum to Nixon for his approval, under a covering memorandum that discussed U.S. strategy during the Okinawa negotiations. Kissinger noted that the various Departments have “no basic disagreement” with NSDM 13. Nixon initialed his approval of NSDM 13 on May 28, and returned it to the NSC the same day. (Memorandum from Kissinger to Nixon, May 24; ibid.)
14. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Special Files, Subject Files, Confidential Files, Box 7, F, CO 75 Japan, 1969–1970. Secret. Sent for information.
15. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 7 JAPAN. Secret; Nodis. Drafted by Wickel on June 11 and approved by Davis. The meeting took place at the White House. On June 2, the Department of State sent talking points to the President, under a covering memorandum from Rogers, in preparation for his conversation with Aichi. (Ibid.)
16. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 554, Country Files, Far East, Okinawa, Vol. I, 1969 and 1970. Secret; Sensitive. Sent for action. In the right-hand margin Nixon wrote: “1. U.S. political—Defense—Congress 2. Japan—Hard bargainer—3. We must not give up more—therefore offer less now—”.
17. Memorandum From Secretary of Commerce Stans to President Nixon
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 399, Subject Files, Textiles, Vol. I. Personal and Confidential. A notation in an unknown hand on the first page reads: “Pouch for Bergsten.”
18. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 399, Subject Files, Textiles, Vol. I. Confidential. Sent for action. Bergsten sent this memorandum to Kissinger under an August 21 memorandum, recommending that he sign and send it to the President. Bergsten, in his memorandum to Kissinger, commented upon Stans’ proposal that the United States reserve the right to increase tariffs on textiles. Bergsten declared this proposal to be “one of the worst I have ever heard, for domestic political—let along foreign policy—reasons.” (Ibid.) Kissinger sent Stans a memorandum on September 2, informing him that Nixon wished to delay a decision on whether the United States would “reserve the right to withdraw its tariff concessions on textiles under the ʽopen seasonʼ provision of the GATT” until after the mid-September textile talks with Japan. (Ibid.)
19. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs (Green) to the Acting Secretary of State (Richardson)
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, DEF 15 RYU IS–US. Secret; Exdis. Drafted by Howard M. McElroy, cleared in draft by EA/J and J/PM. Also initiated by Eliot.
20. Memorandum From Secretary of Commerce Stans to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 213, Agency Files, Dept of Commerce—1970, Vol. I. Secret; Eyes Only. Kissinger initialed this memorandum and wrote, “Note of acknowledgment” in the upper-right hand corner. In an October 16 letter to Stans, Kissinger expressed “thanks for your memorandum of October 1 containing the most helpful suggestions on Japan.” (Ibid.)
21. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Economic Affairs (Trezise) to the Under Secretary of State (Richardson)
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 7 JAPAN. Confidential; Exdis. Richardson readdressed this memorandum to the Secretary in the “To” line.
22. Memorandum From Secretary of Commerce Stans to President Nixon
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 213, Agency Files, Dept of Commerce—1970, Vol. I. No classification marking.
23. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rogers to President Nixon
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 7 JAPAN. Secret; Exdis. A handwritten notation on the memorandum indicates that U. Alexis Johnson hand-delivered the signed original of this memorandum to the President. Attached but not printed are a paper on “Background and Objectives” and talking points.
24. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1026, Presidential/HAK Memcons, Memcons—June–Dec 1969 Presidential/HAK [1 of 2]. Top Secret; Sensitive. No meeting time is indicated. The meeting took place in Kissinger’s office.
25. Memorandum From Secretary of Defense Laird to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD Files: FRC 330–75–103, Box 14, Okinawa, 323.3. Top Secret. A copy was sent to Rogers. The recommendation of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is contained in a November 8 memorandum to Laird, numbered JCSM–708–69. (Ibid.) Kissinger later thanked Laird for expressing the views of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in this memorandum, noting that the considerations they raised “were given careful weight in the discussions with Prime Minister Sato.” (Memorandum from Kissinger to Laird, December 3; ibid.)
26. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon
Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box TS 63, Memcons, Presidential File, 1969. Top Secret; Sensitive; Nodis. Sent for action. Sent to Nixon under a covering memorandum from Kissinger dated the same day. (Ibid.)
27. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1026, Presidential/HAK Memcons, Memcons—June–Dec. 1969 Presidential/HAK [1 of 2]. Top Secret; Sensitive. The meeting took place at the White House. On November 18, Nixon received talking points from Kissinger for the next day’s meetings with Sato. (Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box TS 63, Memcons, Presidential File, 1969)
28. Notes of a Telephone Conversation Between the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) and Japanese Scholar Kei Wakaizumi
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1030, Presidential/HAK Memcons, Memcons Textile Telcons 1970 [Sept. 1969–Jun. 1970] [2 of 2]. No classification marking. Wakaizumi provides his own account of this conversation in his book, The Best Course Available, pp. 278–281. Kissinger was in Washington; Wakaizumi was in Tokyo, where it was November 20, 8:30 a.m. Wakaizumi used the alias Yoshida during conversations with Kissinger, thus the “Y” used in the text.
29. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box TS 63, Memcons, Presidential File, 1969. Top Secret; Sensitive. Wickel drafted this memorandum of conversation on November 24. The meeting took place at the White House. Two additional memoranda of conversation from the same dinner were found. According to one: “During dinner the Prime Minister noted his pleasure at the recent political success of President Park in the Republic of Korea, since he was the ʽonlyʼ leader there who could be trusted. Unfortunately, he said, none of those around him were worthy of any great trust.” (Ibid.) The other noted: “In separate dinner conversations with the Prime Minister and Mrs. Sato, the President noted the value of the experience of his visit to Japan as Vice President in 1953, and said that he hoped to have Vice President Agnew visit Japan soon. The Prime Minister agreed that this was a good idea. (Note: He did not warmly welcome this nor did he pursue the idea.)” (Ibid.)
30. Briefing Paper Prepared for President Nixon
Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, TS 63, Memcons, Presidential File, 1969. Top Secret. Nixon received this document before his November 20, 10 a.m. meeting with Sato. Kissinger sent it to him under a November 19 memorandum that states: “The section on textiles must be handled with great care as it has been pre-arranged with Prime Minister Sato.” (Ibid.) In an October 29 memorandum Kissinger informed Nixon: “On September 30 with your approval I provided Wakaizumi with a statement of our minimum conditions for emergency use of Okinawa in support of nuclear operations after reversion. Concurrently with your approval Wakaizumi was furnished our minimum conditions for regulating imports from Japan of the two textile categories not covered under the present Cotton Agreement.” (National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–210, National Security Decision Memoranda, NSDM 13)