|
TOP SECRET
THE STATE-WAR-NAVY COORDINATING COMMITTEE
WASHINGTON, D. C.
6 September 1945
MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE:
Subject: Politico-Military Problems in the Far East: United States Initial Post-Defeat
Policy Relating to Japan.
| References: |
a. SWNCC 150/3 (Revised) |
| b. SWNCC 150/4 |
Enclosed is a copy of SWNCC 150/4 which was approved by the President on 6 September
1945.
The enclosure is transmitted herewith as approved politico-military policy on
this subject for guidance and such implementation as is deemed appropriate.
Copies of this policy are being forwarded similarly to the Secretaries of War
and the Navy, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
For the State-War-Navy Coordinating Committee:
| H. FREEMAN MATTHEWS |
| H. FREEMAN MATTHEWS |
| Chairman |
Incl:
SWNCC 150/4, Cpy No. 77
COPY NO. 77
TOP SECRET
SWNCC 150/4
6 September 1945
Pages 48 - 59, incl.
STATE-WAR-NAVY COORDINATING
COMMITTEE
POLITICO-MILITARY PROBLEMS IN THE FAR EAST:
UNITED STATES INITIAL POST-DEFEAT POLICY RELATING TO JAPAN
Reference: a. SWNCC 150/3 (Revised)
Note by the Secretaries
1. The enclosure, a further revision of SWNCC 150/3 to incorporate certain suggestions
by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was approved by the State-War-Navy Coordinating
Committee at its twenty-second meeting, 31 August 1945.
2. The Department of State has advised the Secretariat that this paper was submitted
to the President, who approved the enclosed Statement of Policy on 6 September
1945.
| CHARLES W. McCARTHY |
| ALVIN F. RICHARDSON |
| RAYMOND E. COX |
| Secretariat |
ENCLOSURE
U. S. INITIAL POST-SURRENDER
POLICY FOR JAPAN
Purpose of this Document
This document is intended as a statement of general initial policies relating
to Japan after surrender. Following Presidential approval, it will be distributed
to appropriate United States departments and agencies for their guidance. It
is recognized that this document does not deal with all matters relating to the
occupation of Japan requiring policy determinations. Policies upon such matters
as are not included or not fully covered herein will be dealt with in subsequent
papers.
PART I - Ultimate
Objectives
The ultimate objectives of the United States in regard to Japan, to which policies
in the initial period must conform, are:
(a) To insure that Japan will not again become a menace to the United States
or to the peace and security of the world.
(b) To bring about the eventual establishment of a peaceful and responsible government
which will respect the rights of other states and will support the objectives
of the United States as reflected in the ideals and principles of the Charter
of the United Nations. The United States desires that this government should
conform as closely as may be to principles of democratic self-government but
it is not the responsibility of the Allied Powers to impose upon Japan any form
of government not supported by the freely expressed will of the people.
These objectives will be achieved by the following principal means:
(a) Japan's sovereignty will be limited to the islands of Honshu,
Hokkaido, Kyushu, Shikoku and such minor outlying islands as may be determined,
in accordance with the Cairo Declaration and other agreements to which the United
States is or may be a party.
(b) Japan will be completely disarmed and demilitarized. The authority of the
militarists and the influence of militarism will be totally eliminated from her
political, economic, and social life. Institutions expressive of the spirit of
militarism and agression will be vigorously suppressed.
(c) The Japanese people shall be encouraged to develop a desire for individual
liberties and respect for fundamental human rights, particularly the freedoms
of religion, assembly, speech, and the press. They shall also be encouraged to
form democratic and representative organizations.
(d) The Japanese people shall be afforded opportunity to develop for themselves
an economy which will permit the peacetime requirements of the population to
be met.
PART II - ALLIED
AUTHORITY
1. Military Occupation
There will be a military occupation of the Japanese home islands to carry into
effect the surrender terms and further the achievement of the ultimate objectives
stated above. The occupation shall have the character of an operation in behalf
of the principal allied powers acting in the interests of the United Nations
at war with Japan. For that reason, participation of the forces of other nations
that have taken a leading part in the war against Japan will be welcomed and
expected. The occupation forces will be under the command of a Supreme Commander
designated by the United States.
Although every effort will be made, by consultation and by constitution of appropriate
advisory bodies, to establish policies for the conduct of the occupation and
the control of Japan which will satisfy the principal Allied powers, in the event
of any differences of opinion among them, the policies of the United States will
govern.
2. Relationship to Japanese Government
The authority of the Emperor and the Japanese Government will be subject to the
Supreme Commander, who will possess all powers necessary to effectuate the surrender
terms and to carry out the policies established for the conduct of the occupation
and the control of Japan.
In view of the present character of Japanese society and the desire of the United
States to attain its objectives with a minimum commitment of its forces and resources,
the Supreme Commander will exercise his authority through Japanese governmental
machinery and agencies, including the Emperor, to the extent that this satisfactorily
furthers United States objectives. The Japanese Government will be permitted,
under his instructions, to exercise the normal powers of government in matters
of domestic administration. This policy, however, will be subject
to the right and duty of the Supreme Commander to require changes in governmental
machinery or personnel or to act directly if the Emperor or other Japanese authority
does not satisfactorily meet the requirements of the Supreme Commander in effectuating
the surrender terms. This policy, moreover, does not commit the Supreme Commander
to support the Emperor or any other Japanese governmental authority in opposition
to evolutionary changes looking toward the attainment of United States objectives.
The policy is to use the existing form of Government in Japan, not to support
it. Changes in the form of Government initiated by the Japanese people or government
in the direction of modifying its feudal and authoritarian tendencies are to
be permitted and favored. In the event that the effectuation of such changes
involves the use of force by the Japanese people or government against persons
opposed thereto, the Supreme Commander should intervene only where necessary
to ensure the security of his forces and the attainment of all other objectives
of the occupation.
3. Publicity as to Policies.
The Japanese people, and the world at large, shall be kept fully informed of
the objectives and policies of the occupation, and of progress made in their
fulfilment.
PART III - POLITICAL
1. Disarmament and Demilitarization.
Disarmament and demilitarization are the primary tasks of the military occupation
and shall be carried out promptly and with determination. Every effort shall
be made to bring home to the Japanese people the part played by the military
and naval leaders, and those who collaborated with them, in bringing about the
existing and future distress of the people. Japan is not to have an army, navy,
airforce, secret police organization, or any civil aviation. Japan's ground,
air and naval forces shall be disarmed and disbanded and the Japanese Imperial
General Headquarters, the General Staff and all secret police organizations shall
be dissolved. Military and naval materiel, military and naval vessels and military
and naval installations, and military, naval and civilian aircraft shall be surrendered
and shall be disposed of as required by the Supreme Commander.
High officials of the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters, and General Staff,
other high military and naval officials of the Japanese Government, leaders of
ultra-nationalist and militarist organizations and other important exponents
of militarism and aggression will be taken into custody and held for future disposition.
Persons who have been active exponents of militarism and militant nationalism
will be removed and exluded from public office and from any other position of
public or substantial private responsibility. Ultra-nationalistic or militaristic
social, political, professional and commercial societies and institutions will
be dissolved and prohibited.
Militarism and ultra-nationalism, in doctrine and practice, including para-military
training, shall be eliminated from the educational system.
Former career military and naval officers, both commissioned and non-commissioned,
and all other exponents of militarism and ultra-nationalism shall be excluded
from supervisory and teaching positions.
2. War Criminals.
Persons charged by the Supreme Commander or appropriate United Nations Agencies
with being war criminals, including those charged with having visited cruelties
upon United Nations prisoners or other nationals, shall be arrested, tried and,
if convicted, punished. Those wanted by another of the United Nations for offenses
against its nationals, shall, if not wanted for trial or as witnesses or otherwise
by the Supreme Commander, be turned over to the custody of such other nation.
3. Encouragement of Desire for Individual
Liberties and Democratic Processes.
Freedom of religious worship shall be proclaimed promptly on occupation. At the
same time it should be made plain to the Japanese that ultra-nationalistic and
militaristic organizations and movements will not be permitted to hide behind
the cloak of religion.
The Japanese people shall be afforded opportunity and encouraged to become familiar
with the history, institutions, culture, and the accomplishments of the United
States and the other democracies. Association of personnel of the occupation
forces with the Japanese population should be controlled, only to the extent
necessary, to further the policies and objectives of the occupation.
Democratic political parties, with rights of assembly and public discussion,
shall be encouraged, subject to the necessity for maintaining the security of
the occupying forces.
Laws, decrees and regulations which establish discriminations on grounds of race,
nationality, creed or political opinion shall be abrogated;
those which conflict with the objectives and policies outlined in this document
shall be repealed, suspended or amended as required; and agencies charged specifically
with their enforcement shall be abolished or appropriately modified. Persons
unjustly confined by Japanese authority on political grounds shall be released.
The judicial, legal and police systems shall be reformed as soon as practicable
to conform to the policies set forth in Articles 1 and 3 of this Part III and
thereafter shall be progressively influenced, to protect individual liberties
and civil rights.
PART IV - ECONOMIC
1. Economic Demilitarization.
The existing economic basis of Japanese military strength must be destroyed and
not be permitted to revive.
Therefore, a program will be enforced containing the following elements, among
others; the immediate cessation and future prohibition of production of all goods
designed for the equipment, maintenance, or use of any military force or establishment;
the imposition of a ban upon any specialized facilities for the production or
repair of implements of war, including naval vessels and all forms of aircraft;
the institution of a system of inspection and control over selected elements
in Japanese economic activity to prevent concealed or disguised military preparation;
the elimination in Japan of those selected industries or branches of production
whose chief value to Japan is in preparing for war; the prohibition of specialized
research and instruction directed to the development of war-making power; and
the limitation of the size and character of Japan's heavy industries to its future
peaceful requirements, and restriction of Japanese merchant shipping to the extent
required to accomplish the objectives of demilitarization.
The eventual disposition of those existing production facilities within Japan
which are to be eliminated in accord with this program, as between conversion
to other uses, transfer abroad, and scrapping will be determined after inventory.
Pending decision, facilities readily convertible for civilian production should
not be destroyed, except in emergency situations.
2. Promotion of Democratic Forces.
Encouragement shall be given and favor shown to the development of organizations
in labor, industry, and agriculture, organized on a democratic basis. Policies
shall be favored which permit a wide distribution of income and of the ownership
of the means of production and trade.
Those forms of economic activity, organization and leadership
shall be favored that are deemed likely to strengthen the peaceful disposition
of the Japanese people, and to make it difficult to command or direct economic
activity in support of military ends.
To this end it shall be the policy of the Supreme Commander:
(a) To prohibit the retention in or selection for places of importance in the
economic field of individuals who do not direct future Japanese economic effort
solely towards peaceful ends; and
(b) To favor a program for the dissolution of the large industrial and banking
combinations which have exercised control of a great part of Japan's trade and
industry.
3. Resumption of Peaceful Economic Activity.
The policies of Japan have brought down upon the people great economic destruction
and confronted them with the prospect of economic difficulty and suffering. The
plight of Japan is the direct outcome of its own behavior, and the Allies will
not undertake the burden of repairing the damage. It can be repaired only if
the Japanese people renounce all military aims and apply themselves diligently
and with single purpose to the ways of peaceful living. It will be necessary
for them to undertake physical reconstruction, deeply to reform the nature and
direction of their economic activities and institutions, and to find useful employment
for their people along lines adapted to and devoted to peace. The Allies have
no intention of imposing conditions which would prevent the accomplishment of
these tasks in due time.
Japan will be expected to provide goods and services to meet the needs of the
occupying forces to the extent that this can be effected without causing starvation,
widespread disease and acute physical distress.
The Japanese authorities will be expected, and if necessary directed, to maintain,
develop and enforce programs that serve the following purposes:
(a) To avoid acute economic distress.
(b) To assure just and impartial distribution of available supplies.
(c) To meet the requirements for reparations deliveries agreed upon by the Allied
Governments.
(d) To facilitiate the restoration of Japanese economy so that the reasonable
peaceful requirements of the population can be satisfied.
In this connection, the Japanese authorities on their own responsibility shall
be permitted to establish and administer controls over economic activities, including
essential national public services, finance, banking, and production and distribution
of essential commodities, subject to the approval and review of the Supreme Commander
in order to assure their conformity with the objectives of the occupation.
4. Reparations and Restitution.
Reparations.
Reparations for Japanese aggression shall be made:
(a) Through the transfer--as may be determined by the appropriate Allied authorities--of
Japanese property located outside of the territories to be retained by Japan.
(b) Through the transfer of such goods or existing capital equipment and facilities
as are not necessary for a peaceful Japanese economy or the supplying of the
occupying forces. Deliveries from existing stock or from continued production
of goods urgently needed by United Nations who are victims of Japanese aggression
and by liberated areas may be made prior to and without prejudice
to determination by appropriate Allied authorities whether such deliveries shall
be considered as reparations or as exports for which payments are to be made.
In making such determination, the policy will be followed that payment should
be made for such deliveries to the extent needed to enable Japan to defray the
cost of approved Japanese imports. No form of reparation shall be exacted which
will interfere with or prejudice the program for Japan's demilitarization.
Restitution.
Full and prompt restitution will be required of all identifiable looted property.
5. Fiscal, Monetary, and Banking Policies.
The Japanese authorities will remain responsible for the management and direction
of the domestic fiscal, monetary, and credit policies subject to the approval
and review of the Supreme Commander.
6. International Trade and Financial
Relations.
Japan shall be permitted eventually to resume normal trade relations with the
rest of the world. During occupation and under suitable controls, Japan will
be permitted to purchase from foreign countries raw materials and other goods
that it may need for peaceful purposes, and to export goods to pay for approved
imports.
Control is to be maintained over all imports and exports of goods, and foreign
exchange and financial transactions. Both the policies followed in the exercise
of these controls and their actual administration shall be subject to the approval
and supervision of the Supreme Commander in order to make sure that they are
not contrary to the policies of the occupying authorities,
and in particular that all foreign purchasing power that Japan may acquire is
utilized only for essential needs.
7. Japanese Property Located Abroad.
Existing Japanese external assets and existing Japanese assets located in territories
detached from Japan under the terms of surrender, including assets owned in whole
or part by the Imperial Household and Government, shall be revealed to the occupying
authorities and held for disposition according to the decision of the Allied
authorities.
8. Equality of Opportunity for Foreign
Enterprise within Japan.
The Japanese authorities shall not give, or permit any Japanese business organization
to give, exclusive or preferential opportunity or terms to the enterprise of
any foreign country, or cede to such enterprise control of any important branch
of economic activity.
9. Imperial Household Property.
Imperial Household property shall not be exempted from any action necessary to
carry out the objectives of the occupation. |