740.00119 FEAC/10–145

The Soviet Commissar for Foreign Affairs (Molotov) to the Secretary of State, at London
[Translation]9

Dear Mr. Byrnes: I hereby confirm the receipt of your letter of September 28 [29] in which you again write concerning the question [Page 730] of the establishment of a Far Eastern Advisory Commission for Japan. In this connection I consider it necessary to remind you that in the name of the Soviet Government I have already called the attention of the Council of Foreign Ministers currently sitting, to the fact that the Soviet Government attaches great importance to the immediate establishment of Allied control mechanism for Japan.

At the present time I must first of all state that your confirmation of the fact that the Soviet Government has agreed with the proposal for the creation of an Advisory Commission for Japan does not accurately reflect the present situation. In connection with the fact that the formation of the Advisory Commission has been delayed and in connection with the change in the situation in Japan the Soviet Government already on September 24 handed to the Council of Foreign Ministers a memorandum10 containing a proposal for the establishment of a Control Council for Japan to sit in Tokyo and to consist of representatives of the United States, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and China under the presidency of the representative of the United States.

The Soviet Government considers that while the war situation existed and the Japanese armed forces had not yet been disarmed there was justification of the concentration of all functions for the control of Japan in the hands of the Allied Commander-in-Chief. However, now that the war period has passed there have arisen before the Allies tasks chiefly of a political, economic, and financial character for whose decision it is essential to establish such an Allied organ through the medium of which the four powers who played the decisive role in the defeat of Japan would put into effect in relation to Japan an agreed policy and assume joint responsibility. The Soviet Government as heretofore stands on the position set forth in the above mentioned memorandum of September 24. It recognizes as wise the establishment along with the Control Commission for Japan of an Advisory Allied Commission as envisaged in your proposal also under the presidency of the representative of the United States including in addition to the four Allied powers other countries as well which took an active part in the war against Japan. However, the Soviet Government considers that the formation of such an Allied Advisory Commission should be preceded by a decision of the four Allied Governments concerning the establishment of a Control Commission for Japan since a delay in this decision will create appreciable difficulties. I am sending copies of this letter to Mr. Bevin and to Mr. Wang Shih-chieh.11

Sincerely yours,

V. Molotov
  1. Transmitted by the Department in airgram A–404, October 15, to Moscow.
  2. Memorandum C.F.M.(45) 49, September 24, by the Soviet delegation, vol. ii, p. 357.
  3. Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs, attending meetings of the Council of Foreign Ministers in London.