I understand that you wish a statement from the Department of State in
answer to certain questions raised in the Commission by Sir Carl
Berendsen.
I enclose a statement for such use as you may wish to make of it but
suggest that it would be advisable not to attribute it directly either
to me or to the Department of State.
[Annex]
Draft Statement for the United States
Representative on the Far Eastern Commission (McCoy)
It is understood that Sir Carl Berendsen requested that answers to
the following questions be supplied by the U.S. member of the
Commission:
- a)
- Has the Far Eastern Commission’s statement of policy on
food for Japan been sent as a directive to the Supreme
Commander for the Allied Powers?
- b)
- Has the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers obtained
the advice of the Allied Council in Tokyo in determining
food requirements?
Inasmuch as the policy statement was transmitted on April 25, 1946 to
General MacArthur for his guidance,10 it was not
believed necessary to repeat it to him in different form as a
Directive. Insofar as the document is of concern to the U.S.
Government, it has been brought to the attention of all interested
Departments of the United States Government.
[Page 240]
It is assumed that Sir Carl’s second question referred to the
following passage in the Commission’s document:
“The Far Eastern Commission decides as a matter of policy
that, except to the extent that the Supreme Commander for
the Allied Powers, with the advice of the Allied Council for
Japan, determines that imports are essential immediately for
the safety of the Occupation Forces, no imports shall be
permitted which will have the effect of giving to the
Japanese a priority or preferential treatment over the
requirements of the peoples of any Allied Power or liberated
area;”
It is the belief of this Government that the reference to the Allied
Council for Japan in the Far Eastern Commission policy statement
concerning food for Japan is recognition of the provisions of the
terms of reference of the Allied Council that
“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, the
occupation and control of Japan, and of directives
supplementary thereto, and for the purpose of exercising the
control authority herein granted.”
and
“The Supreme Commander shall issue all orders for the
implementation of the terms of surrender, the occupation and
control of Japan, and directives supplementary thereto. In
all cases action will be carried out under and through the
Supreme Commander who is the sole executive authority for
the Allied Powers in Japan. He will consult and advise with
the Council in advance of the issuance of orders on matters
of substance, the exigencies of the situation permitting.
His decisions upon these matters shall be controlling.”
It is believed that the Far Eastern Commission, through its policy
decision on food has not altered its own or the Council’s terms of
reference concerning the function of the Allied Council.
So far as is known, the Supreme Commander has not consulted the
Council specifically on this question. As the Supreme Commander is
fully aware of the Commission’s policy statement on food, it is
assumed that the Supreme Commander believes that consultation with
the Council at this time on the question of immediate food imports
for Japan is neither necessary nor appropriate in view of the fact
that his estimates of food requirements for the period of April
through September have already been submitted to his Government,
that these requirements were considered as the absolute minimum for
the safety of his own forces and that these estimates were submitted
to Washington for consideration of the Combined Food Board and for
decision and action by the United States Government.
