Cablegram 511 CANBERRA, 14 September 1949
IMMEDIATE RESTRICTED
Your 837 (FEC 121).
Japanese participation in technical conferences.
We do not consider that Sub-Committee’s [1] draft policy decision [2] meets the position. We are prepared to recognise that there are certain international technical conventions to which Japan might properly subscribe even before peace is signed and which might call for the exercise of some measure of additional responsibility by the Japanese themselves, in particular those conventions such as health conventions to which Japanese adherence is in the interests of all other countries. But as stated in our telegram 280 of 13th May the decision should in each case be made by F.E.C., and not by S.C.A.P. at his discretion. [3]
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1 A sub-committee established on 24 June 1949 to discuss Japan’s participation in technical conventions and agreements.
2 Draft proposal C4-339/14 was an amended version of the US proposal set out in Document 350 with the addition of two further paragraphs. In full it read:
‘The FEC decides as . matter of policy that SCAP, subject to his discretion and continued control, should permit Japan to participate with other nations or groups of nations in such international agreements, conventions and conferences of a technical character as Japan may be invited to enter into, accede to, attend or participate in, and as SCAP shall consider to be in the interests of the occupation.
SCAP should inform the FEC of each case of accession to technical agreements or participation in technical conferences by the Japanese Government which he may authorise.
The Supreme Commander should direct the Japanese Government to fulfil any international obligations which it may assume in accordance with the provisions of this policy.’ 3 Evatt’s views were put to the sub-committee at its meeting on 14 September 1949.
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[AA:A1838, 535/2, i]