Tokyo, 1 October 1953
480. CONFIDENTIAL IMMEDIATE
Waring1, who is United States Embassy economic counsellor, has informed me confidentially that Oda2, director of Economic Affairs in the Foreign Ministry, told him that Nishi3 was the only ambassador in any Colombo Plan country who has reported that the Government to which he is accredited was not favourably disposed towards Japan’s attendance at the present meeting. The Indian Government has informed the Japanese Government that in view of opposition from certain quarter[s] they advised the Japanese to withdraw their request for admission to this meeting. The Japanese Foreign Ministry according to Oda believes that Australia is the only source of opposition. Waring expressed the personal view that some gesture by Australia might be useful having regard to the fisheries legislation, G.A.T.T. discussions and early re-opening of negotiations on status of United Nations forces. He said Oda did not know Waring was speaking to me about this.
2. I said there was little time now for any decision relating to this meeting of the Colombo Plan Council and took the opportunity since Allison4 is away in Hokkaido to give Waring some background on the pearl fisheries.5
3. Earlier this week the Foreign Ministry told Jamieson6 informally that Nishi had been instructed to raise the question in Canberra of Japan’s sending an observer to the Consultative Committee. We have had no other approach of any kind.
[NAA: A1838, 3103/9/3/3]
1 Frank Arnold Waring, Economic Counsellor, United States Political Advisor to SCAP, Tokyo.
2 Takio Oda, Director, Economics Bureau, Japan Foreign Ministry, 1952-55.
3 Haruhiko Nishi, Japanese Ambassador to Australia, 1953-55.
4 John Moore Allison, United States Ambassador to Japan, 1953-55.
5 During the early 1950s Japanese pearl fishing in Australian territorial waters was a major source of tension between the two countries and revived wartime anxiety about Japanese expansionism. In late September 1953, Watt told Nishi that he doubted the suitability of Japan’s request to observe the Consultative Committee meeting in New Delhi because of the continuing dispute over access to pearl fisheries.
6 Arthur Barclay Jamieson, First Secretary then Chargé d’Affaires, Australian Embassy, Tokyo.