Cablegram unnumbered TOKYO, 1 August 1947, 3.30 a.m.
PERSONAL SECRET
After conferences with General MacArthur, B.C.O.F. authorities and Allied Representatives, the results of my mission may be summed up as follows:-
1. Complete over-all understanding with General MacArthur as to steps to be taken in negotiating the Japanese Treaty, as to general principles to be followed in it and as to the lines of supervisory machinery which should be established under it.
2. Clear picture of the functions the United States intends to perform in this area after the treaty has been made and in accordance with it.
3. Appreciation of the broad achievements of the military occupation period, sources of information ranging from MacArthur right down to Japanese Parliamentary and Trades Union officials.
4. Personal undertaking by MacArthur with regard to Antarctic whaling that although the present transitional period expedition cannot now be cancelled, he will favour provisions in the Treaty protecting Australian interests in the Antarctic region against Japanese encroachment in relation to whaling.
5. Invaluable opportunity of advancing own proposals to the Canberra Conference which will be in harmony with the objectives of MacArthur and emphasize that provided adopted in the Peace Conference, should help greatly to protect us from any resurgence of aggression from North Pacific (see eleven points in telegram 243 of 30th July [1]).
6. Understanding of official position here. [2]
We have had some very hard slogging on these matters under climatic conditions which are very trying and all members of the Mission have worked hard from the first to last, not excluding my wife. A small section of the press is very hostile to MacArthur but the great majority are favourable and I really believe that Mission has succeeded.
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1 The eleven points were reproduced in Evatt’s submission to Cabinet of 13 August (Document 352).
2 Instructions accompanied this cablegram to amend paragraph 6 to read, ‘Understanding of official position here and its tactics of strength and weakness’.
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[AA : A4311/1, BOX 449]