Cablegram 786 CANBERRA, 3 September 1948
SECRET
Our 757.
1. Question of labour relations in Japanese public service was discussed at special meeting of Allied Council on 28th [August], when Shaw outlined our position and offered help to SCAP HQ in view of experience of British Commonwealth countries in this sphere. We have also asked Shaw to make personal approach to SCAP, in coordination with Head of U.K.L.M. and convey our concern and constructive ideas.
2. We have been considering the substantial procedural difficulties referred to in your 940 and our inclination is not to raise matter in F.E.C. at least until we know result of representations at present being made in Tokyo where our views may have some influence at the implementing level.
3. What are views of your British Commonwealth colleagues on subject of taking up question in F.E.C.? [2]
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1 The meeting was instigated by Kislenko.
2 None had specific instructions but it was felt that all possibilities of action at Tokyo should be exhausted before raising the matter in the Far Eastern Commission. It should be presented then, not as a criticism of MacArthur, but as a need for the Commission to formulate ‘a clarifying or supplementary policy’ in respect of policy decision FEC 045/5.
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[AA:A1838/278, 478/2/5, i]