4n /
MEMOMNDIJ'II'I FOR T1R. HEI\'RY
WHITE
A. KISSINGER
HOUSE
l,etter fron
Mik€ Masaoka conceqlng okinawa rewersi6n
h
response Eo Mrs. Davisi r€f€rra1 of November 19, enclose a coly of the Departmentrs response to M!, Mike !,asaoka's letter to the Prestdenc. l4r. Masaoka, uho is the liashlngton representativ€ of the Japanese Arerlcan Clttzens League, urged th€ President to leach an aereenent rith Prhe Mtnister Sato for the reverslon of Okimwa to Japan.
I
The
origiml
coEespondence
ts returned fo!
your
Washinglon Represenrarive J.rp.nese Ancricro CiLizens Lcaruâ&#x201A;Ź 2O2L L Srre.r N.rthue<F
Washl.gton, D. C.
I have been asked to reply lo your terrer ot Novetrba- t4rh to EFe yresident rhich ou.1j.co (he Japlne-- Anericrn ur(Izens reJgu6is posrrion concernirs okin-v.. r wanr to assule you that you! 1ette. and the enclosed sralem.nL b/ Dr. !,lc!rn-ba, Lcre ujdely (e-d by rhose jn Ehe Soverment
uorking on Japan.
As you know Plestdent Ntxon and lrirc Mini6te, Sato râ&#x201A;Źa.hed an undersranding on rhe return of ol.inaua to Japen along the lincs of rhc posirion advoc.red by rhe Leasue. In his Norenbe! 2I soe.ch i. rh^ Pre6s Chbj lrine MinisEer Sato arso eillessed his deteetnation to regaia Ehe NorLhern Territories.
b^lieve LL.t Eh- okrnav- revarsron aBree.,enr c^o rne othe! urdersl.rdtnB> re-ched by r\e pre;ioent and Lhe v!:me IJ'lisEer esEdb. r:n d so-nd foLndar:on fo, L re
IJe.
continued development of close lelarions between rhe U.S, and Japan and rhar such lelarions are virat to borh countlies and to rhe peace and prosperlry of Asia.
personai interest, and rhar of rhe JACL, in IluI US-Japan telations is ruch appfeciated,
-) rr -{i*"J Richard 3. Finn Country Dilector fo! (,,.
EA/J :H,lMcE1ioy
:bd 12l2/69
L
good
,
Jalan
tn2f U6J
Tbe llonorat,le }Itchald Ii. lrixon Presldent o? the Lhlteit st tes
vashingtoq
,)
n. c.
2ot0o
on tbe ew of the arriEl of the Prin€ Mtnisier of Jaran to atth rcu the revelsion of Ckina*a, the Japanese .4ner1c5! citiz€ns lEasue (&ci) belre€s that 1t 1! apprcpltate a.d !r!e! that the lecomendatlons o? fie ohlv mtlonar orgonlzatton of rft.l.an clttze$ o? ,ratEnese aacestry ln th€ r-\rtted st!t$ .n this ialortant sublect be transnttt€d to Fu.
dlscuos
Ihe flatlomr &ard of th€ JAcl has adolted the follntns rqr-hlteil stat$: comendatlon6 a. betq tn the natioml
1. the Uhit€d states anil Jalan lhoulil asree thls yftr to a ..crsror o" oklm{a !o Jap.i by t\" enr of Io_ . sutJect to the 2. A[e!lca. Ellltary base th3t a!}ry to the mtn lslands of,Ia!a., i. e.r tbe.e sh.lld be I,dd htloducins nucreaNealotu o! benilltary fore nsxng th€ bases for dtrc.t codbat elsdhere. 3. J6!ar shoufd actt€\y eeek the e!!Iy letm froD Soviet &rs8ta of the &lthea tr.nds .f Eabomi, shikotan, X'mshiri, and t]1e encloseil stateDentj !tslarcd ty Iilary I. cn ten o? the Lte!rotlons1 AffitrB comtttee of the Jala.ese ,lherican a?1atru JACl,rs ressons for its recomftdatio8 r€aa.{ttns the esrly *@rsi.. .f oklmh to Jalan,
t$st ihat ,ru! forthcodna discusetons vtth the htme r,liriste! of JarEn vill Esu1t in the early revelston of okina,a Ede! Urr ieneftcial t. the kna of ou citizenshi! a.d the land of ou! ancestly. Iie
RICAN
CIT]ZEIS
LEACI,E
rte Jalanese ane.1.an cltizeng Ieasue (racr) ls the only hational or8a.lzatton rellesentlhs Anell.ans or Jalsnese a.cestly. Found.d tb I93O, the JACL has 5r its !!l@ry a.d the rclf8le of Jalanese rn its Mtioml .otrBtitrttoh, al6o to 'foster Amertcan
mtio.al 1fe d4o.acy, lbnote a.ttre !6rtlcllati.n ln ctrtc eqEl ollortunttler,..for 'ni! a11anelt.ans legardc.Io!, .r @tioml o!isin".
5nd secue Justlce and
Toitay, the JACL has ? chaltels and neDtels I. 32 states a.d the Distdct .l calmbia. hare sowht not only
to
edphaslze ani!
!rctect
the .e4'ons1bl1itles of crtrzemhtp. The !a1"curr! areas of dtress, the *tent of tnrcI€ment, and th. techrtques @y chanse.
In ihe $.1ier ya.s of its histoly!
,,4c1 xas
opeEti.s in
an
a!?lecrat€itr ,heE the leolle ye.€ arrost entlrcry E\role-orlentedr ald vhele A3ta and tbe Asl.tl.s ,.!e neetect€d! ts!o!ed! o! tolemted as exotlca. Bace no.gels ,erc sayi.s thst the Jalqnese could not be a.stntlated ihto the rredcan cultual latt tn tb€ rar r€st 6 to ntsdllect thel rath agatnet Ja!an.6e Aneltcans. rJxen Jalan atta.ke{t I€alI na}bor, unfal! Japanese Adellcans sI&, thei! I.F1ty &s questtonea, and they vele dls!1aced to *1 tines, to lrE theJ vere Adeli.ans, Jalanese ,Arelica.s relt it erres froa Jalan and all thtna. Jalaneee.
discrirt@tlon asat$t
JACL
restrlcted it. attentlon to aErillng the rlghb
and
,erfare of
Jala.ese Ane.icans atra !rcmtins the acc.ltance of Jala.es€ rne.icans ln rseltcar ltfe. SugBestln8 that JAcn could.r should rlay a specral rc1e tn llooottns sood !eLtton. b.t een the untted States d.d Japan rcuId, ,e b€ue€, hare heen Etuffed by the neibershb lnd lsbatly dsundelstooi! by the rlneican Nbllc.
of the loyalty of ftdayj hd€@, there ts rittle Jl!!!€s€ Ahertcans to the u.lted ststes.'tuestton I. ro!1d rar II, there,as no act of esri.ruse or sabotace by a Esident au
6n.est!y, and tbe Iss.i and l{isei had outstaldtla !€colds 1. the ctv-rua. wr ef"oft, oh the battlefteld, ahd in sle.iatized Japsnese
IuthelJ ameltcaas and liofltlns foi, and impoltan.e ot, undersia.dins, lbn thts diversity. I. these cha.ged ctftmstances, J.?anese ,Aredcans €rue theti Jalanese lncestry 8nd ba.ksrcund, 8nd JAC! mst help ofdiwe*eCuliElbaclgloundsan'laelwingrccogn
cau6ed hy
that
Japane6e bactsround.
Ihe mtue or unlted statee-Jar!. lelati.ns
to Jalanes€ lmeli.ans. ou livelih..d, ou vay of 1ife, oE standlns in the c.munity aie aU i.fluenced by the ftct th.t there ts a Japan. those of Jalanese sncestly my velt have the sreatest sta*e i! the *i3tence .f a leaceful! thrivihsj influenttaf Jalan, Tn ou democracy, lhere e6ch !€.son f.i€ndly to tbe actlGly larttct?ate lld xork lo! desilabl. goalBJ tt ls ftttlng that JACL should try to develo! o. e.do*e lor1cie6 that wt1I enhance f'liendly co.pelatlon betveen the countty or ou 1968 tty snd loralty, a"it the Ia.d of ou ahcestrJ. Thusj at 1ts "atlomland .edir€ct mtioml conrentionJ JACI fohal1y r€so1€d t. reactiEte comtttee and atn to larticiFte actively
1n
arca of lrntted states-JalEn relati.ns.
lt its fllst rcetins
early i. 1969, the JAcLi6 reo4.nlzed comtttee aare.d that the rcverston of otinasa aat the othe! &^rqro IElqrds Eo the Mst presslns issue challensl.s rrntted stltes-J.Bn ,elatlons. He lec4ntzed that theE,oulit undouttedty be El1ttaly and s€cudty ss!€cts umEtlable to the Ftrtc or dlfflcurt fo! the rutuc to eE1@te. hut ye also k.* that other olsalizatl.nsr lutlicatlons, dnd indlvtduls rcle taktng !6ett1oB lnd wtctns thei. ollnlons.
or
atu1ys1s
of the €rtos oltetutt€s
1ea us
to
conclude
that th€ folldlna me.su€s {e!€ the best, ovem11, fo! the oaited The untted states and Jalan should aslee Lo raFo bY L\e eod
thls year to o" r9" .
a
Arcrt.an nllttlly bases i. oklna$ should be subJect to the s@e lestltctions that s!!ly to
-3Jalan; l.€., thele should te !!to! consultstton befole rnircrtu.1.s nucl*! ,ealons or belore usi.s the bases
In ruly 1969, the Nattonal Brad of tlre racr endorseit the obo€ *come.dati.ns or the intenatioml afrairs cmittee, At that tiEe, 3.
ttarE should actlv€Iy se€k the ea*y Etu. flar s.Eet R'Esia of the nolthe{ islands of }I.qbomi, shikotan, xmashtrl, anit Etomfu.
h studrinE the okitu* prcblen, the comittee otlttaly lur?oses xerc the @in rcasons h.l(tins of 0k1@va. Tte Unlted States hoB nutEl defense trcattes vith lustlalia anit NB zakna, the Prililpi.es, Koresj taiwn, End Jalan, state6 tu at ,ar {tth vr€t tut to back u! t.eaty comttrents, the rbeE the lrhtteit states
?eat€gon xrshes uha[pered uee has itere1oled an avesohe
of tbe ryurslsr
ole*tlons. If hlltta.y consi{teatiohs alohe !ft€t that the Unlted states 6hould h6re the mxttru !mbe! of olttonc open to lt and that rc should letatn okt@ra, ,!ee of 6!y outstde ,€strtctions. f,eever, the comittee felt that there w€re othe! ffirttli.s .on-dlitaly considemii.ns that could not be isnoled and would .ot arld the conitnued mestrtcteit holdlng of okinaxa. mele ls f1!st the unt€mblltty of hawtna the reader .f the th€ rtlitaly occupatror or a !a* of a foEtsn mrion, ahost a qu*e! ol a .entuly afte! the \ra\.rs ale tnhal,lted ty about a nillion !€ople yho use Jalan*e as thel! rottre lansuase anil constde! theneel€s Jllanese. That the6e leop1e *ish to letun to J8lErese nle xas lnaicated by thel! cholce of cbobrc YaE last year. in theb filst diEct €Iectio. .l a Orief Ele.uttre. Yala ftn on a ! uncondltloml, imediste leErsion of ohina% to ,ra!€n. Iuthe!, accodins to the latest !ut1t. ollnion !or1 tndn to us, that of the rriinichi shlnba, one of the thlee Ieaahe naslErEr! of ralEn! dated N.€mbe! l,! t969, 1ei at the otlnMns fErcr.etun t. JaIEn. In Japan too, th.E ts a bational co.se.sus lor the ee!1y rctun of oktnav.. lbe unlted states losltto! i. addltiomlrry mkened beca$e chalses of "Eclsn" can be and are betng !1aced aaatnst us. In th!3 f .on-Iepean ana non-dite peoples, both tD .u om coMtry and throqhout the vor1a. the c.mittee felt that lt vas esl,ectarly lnportan vbttec .nd {httes. ndever, tbe comtttee found tt dtfficult to te11€@
that ,Aneltcans or the rrntted states sorelment rould
conitone
-4for *an!le, 2t
sihlrar .ontrol of a lart o
y€ars
inlluenced bt the fact that the con-
ou countrv vnfnefttle to accusations tinued occulati.. of oklEra standad of condu.t t. ro.elen relations. ue rcaletted ihat ,e had to Esree ,1th .ritics }ho sav that the rhitted stat€s mu1d ha.d1y peElt cmpalaUe contrc1, bv ! foleisn !der, of a poltio. o? the untted stateE. nakes
me abot lactors are leEEsive, but !.rha!s ale considelati..s inrcrl.tng the idlortan.e of a s.od ,orlri.a !e1at1onshi! b€t een the lxiited states ahd Jaran. Defeated bv ou coutrv tn i,'iorld !a! II. but stven €xt€.stre e.onontc and technical arA hv the Unlted statea and the supo* of, a nlutary alltance vltb ou countlv, Ja!a. hae be.ode the ,or1d'5 thtld sleatest tndustdar !ote!. Jalan lo.sesses the aost stable and item.rattc !.Ittica1 3vsten in Asia. Thoueh restdcted ny its conltttution t. self-defense to.ces, JaPan sttrl has s&at ntlttaty lotential. lL{aAv rast Asiln €xlelts b€1i* that Jalan t111 !e the Asiaa pove! ol the ndt f4 Ae*des.
tt€ lrnlted states has begun to lesssess its otlseas reslonslbl1tties, lartlculally i. Asta. Ja!a.'s econonlc !4e! has conttnueil to tnclease lts etloel confiaence and m'le the othe! roles it btght llay tn Asia and the ESt of the io!1d. .learlv, it xourd te nutuaUy beneflctal fot hoth coDtrt$ to xo* togetber i. a frtendk and equar relationshi! to cole vtth the chanstng lo1itica1 For th. Jsptn.se, 3s tun- r. Ibreenthou sLtred tl a ,3 Anseles . rP- S..v'!.e sJooica!.d .o1nn alp'orns \!v l1i 1066 in &9 I,htladellhia f!gg!I9l: "Ihe occupatton of oktEYo, cohsidereil by all- EE;E;;;aa-h irlteslal rElt of ralan, has becone a llrcuo of ;tro@l ais..ntent, a touchsto.e or the countlv olrim* r*rstor to Jalan rourd !@re a djd !!!ltant in Lhited stater-Jalatr Elations and sttnulate the de€f,olae.t of sreate, Dutu-
alttJ of inteEsts beti€en th€ t{o countrte6 d.d a s.€ater ehlrins or leslonsitilities, anil end the cljent-sponso! lsytholosy thai has chalact{ized tr\rlted states-Jalan ,elatlom since xorrd i{a! II. ActEl1y, the rrntted states conceitet that JaIEn tas rcsldE1 60w!.tsEty over the ts1and3. Presidat. Itsenhoxer, Kenneilv, and Johnson baE enilolded the retm of tbe Fouk,lls to Ja!.n. mus! rnd oktnaxa.s aft asreed that the islands should fte mn$eled questions ar. ..t vhethei thele shouiit to Jopan. rcvelt !h€n, and uae! {hat condttl.ns. be re@!slo!, but
thls yea!, 1959, as the ttre for a decl6ion l,Ie Ecoe.tze that the 1951 ?eace Tleatv detemined the st€tus of okl@E and tbat thele ts m legal obltsaii state6 to dtscuss okitu a rctlsion at thls o! a.v othei ttrc. Frrther, rc.112e that the futue status of ohtna@ is not tncluded in the ne hare recomendeit
'e
-5rh r9?o. nonetheless! and Jalar, a treaty that t rc ulae action this year, for ye fear the coEequences to Irdted statesJalan .elations, if a rc1attre. unrcsolwd! otim{an !rcb1er reeins ln r97O. Ou tlo mort E.ent fone! anbssado* to J6!an, Edvln 0. Retschauer and u. alerlr Johnson, have not€d that olpositlon srculs ha* ained at 1970 as the ttre to treax the lelationshi! tetf,een ihe L\rtted strtes and Jalan. By tla.s the !o!ula. okimrah issue to the more esoteltc ald less !o!u1ar secrlty i.*ty tssue munt a nuch no.e effective caiDatEn to challense ihe treaty and the states-Jal*n reratlo$hi!. Atthouah ye beliew the.e are codle11ihs .easons fo! t@edirte to JaFn, v€ ha€ lecomeaded le€lston of rblitical transfe!. Iuther, rc exlect that by that yeai, there vtrl be a .ubstontial dtse.sasdetrt of thited states fo.ces tn vletmd. onr recomenitatlons state that when leveEion o
ntrtbry bas€s Ehould xe subject to the sme Estdctiois that a!p1y to the mln tslands ot Jalan. Earuer in this .eport, ve hare rcted th.t lf htlttqly obJectiEs alone held $ay, ae nlght be addsed to kee! oktnara, free or lest.ictlons. Hdewr, ve haE alrcady inalcated that th.!e ale t.eluctrble non-n1lttary a8!€cts rleaki.s fo! reErston. found that a!a!t from the questions or rh.ther the rrntted states 8hor1d )e a xorld rDlicemn and whether tbe use of oktE€ bases ts !€a11y !n our natloml inteEst, there are quedtlons
alout tbe nitltarjr
,€d fo! uDestdcted lse of otim*.
tuted eltd€nce that technolost.al dere1oldats ha€ s.eatly less€ned the shategt. nlloltance of oki eedple, in healtnss 'tetelrence, or ilef.Be. For ecutty I1o cy and sclenttftc ])*Io!l.nts (islt.kdsrsr stated: ol the aouse comittee.n n)r oklmra for ou dftsi1es, Yheth€r
Iaoa kuched o! snhmrine
laucheit. In case xe need sho*6. r.nse airc.art, ve 3t111 hawe the alr.El't c6!!I.! f!@ ,ht.h they .an !e launched. Nhen it coDes
cuan, ,htcb are
the i-r2's, ,e ha@ othe! !ase6, ltte lelfectlt feqstble loints of aelartEe
I ha@ a stroos feeli.s tbat thtle the okha,a ba6e corl,l* ,as co4'letely ecsenttal for ou .t*i€stc planntns xh€n tt m6 flrst olganized onit strensthen€a, the nucl€a. u6e of oktnara hes !os8t!1y already becme ftllther, in a statment !F!a!ed fo! the
ean€
co@tttee, rube*
-6...chahaes ln the technolo6r ol rcapons deli@ry and in techntques of co.trol a.d losisric su?lolt hare dloinr.bea and d1l conttnue to dininish the €lue of lotentlal nuclea! o!€rartons tuom close-
the aEllabtlity of other altemaleave only @Igim1 ldlortance to }.sstb1e nuclear olerattom to the a.tul
tl€e,
o! lotentlal !!e6nce of th€ "mJor eqnllde.t" that
is *cluaed fld the
natn 1s1a.ds or JarEn..-uuch
o!er6[ions peldrtt"o fmtr otlnaua L1lbouL pr'or -.1sultatton, that .equi* such comultatbn rf Luched in JarEn: thet, {1ue is sm11 conto the,orth or h€Erssftle octtl-tttesl...atrd rE*it
to their 1itely polltlcal costs. xs the oDily !€o!le to have slffercd nu.lear att€ckJ the {es!o.s, and the Jalarese sorer@elt therefole ,lshes n nuclea! vealons on th.ir 1s1a.&. thele aE rtsls 1n ou lnslstence on the tBp.rtance of nucleaneapons on sftrmentis oki@m. As Ton ],tcrer skted in ll:e N4 yolk TrM on Jue 1, 1969, lf the vnited states @k* a strong e-6Eb_i;;e-ror th€ ru!.rt;nce oi nucla! ,ealons on Okttuw, "the Japane6e ,[1 besi. to ,oniler vhy, tf hawina .uclear veEl6n6 on rheir isfa.ds is so lmlortanr, rhey should oot controt th@. the v6y to do thar }oufd he to ruila thelr dnii, lhat nore rcu1d be a shattelt.s nhr to ou goal or tu.-!rclifeEtton
€!y
sM11 com!..ed
conceni.s ?!td
the cmittee felt ve Bhorld
in rlad that conruftatio.s voulil he bet\.€en Ertnels. that the rcsu.11,6 rno consequences o'any corterplat"o..rlon. sPe.L Japsr perhals eEn @re allectly than the united stetes, rhar riihour JarEnese .oolelatton and 6up!o!tr flee of a-loIent riots and de@nsbationsr re could .ot olerate bases ke€p
lae
JACL has thcluded
a st{teDert atout the norther. lslands,
nd held hy the sovl.t uatoh. 0E reas.ns !6!a11e1 tho6e contalned i. tbe foloYi.s coment ry s InouE lrae ,rssn rhes Interettoml Athail mitio., rroveDber 7, If the Jaranese aE sincele in arguing that the princrple of the okl.aran l,rbld ts sowrelsnty, then th.y 6hourd ytth equl yisor ald tnslstence caU on the sodet Unton to .etun the xultle Is1ands. If (the Ja!an6e) falr to do this, than uitefttsndatle tf Anerlcans beAan to f€e1 that they ale b€1hs licked .n as vhilFtng boy8.
relErt to a b.ief discussion or ,hat ,e feer a!€ the @JoI !.tlcy de.ision6 concemtns oklna*. {e have not covered such tssues 33 eErution of unlted states faclltties that witl so to Jalan, rciitusee.t hy Jalan lor tbese facilities, and tees of relayment, but ,e e4,ect that apprcp.iate nes.tiatloG riU settle such qn€stions. JACL
feers that a vell-cooldllated and coopelatlve relatlon-
mllrtne lartn€rsbl! letveen the Irrtted states
and Jalan lequlres, .racl fee1s, an amicabfe bren. JAcl belieres that the 1o( tem interests of the Uhtted st thai lnco!! Etes the Ieco@endatlons rc hare nade tn thts sbt€nent.
(statdat !.e!ared by rE y r. llatambe, Irr.!., chai@., Inteetioml Japanese anelt.an crttzene kaeue, at tbe rcquect of the l{atroEl JACI loard. Ihlladebhta. Penruyhrl., novsbe! 12. 1959.) affalrs comlttee,