FOREIGN OFFICE FILES FOR JAPAN AND THE FAR EAST

Series Two: British Foreign Office Files for Post-War Japan

Part 5: Complete Files for 1963-1965

(PRO Class FO 371/170743-170800, 175999-176054 & 181067-181112)

CHRONOLOGY, 1963-1965

(Based on Foreign Office Calendars of Events)

1963

January

11-12; The first in a series of meetings between Japan and Canada at Ministerial level takes place in Tokyo. Mr DM Fleming, the Minister of Justice led the Canadian delegation.

13; The Burmese Minister for trade and development of Industry, U Aung Gyi, arrives in Tokyo for talks on additional loans and reparations for Burma.

16; The 43rd Ordinary Session of the Diet resumes proceedings.

20; The Algerian Minister of Industry and Energy, M. Laroussi Khelip, arrives in Japan for a two week official visit.

30; Japan and New Zealand sign an Agreement for the Avoidance of Double Taxation in Wellington.

February

5; Japan and the Soviet Union sign a three year Trade and Payments Agreement in Tokyo, under which about $700 million worth of goods are expected to be exchanged during the period 1963-65.

6; Mr Gilpatric, the Deputy Secretary of Defence of the USA, arrives in Tokyo for talks about the Japanese defence effort and measures to improve the US balance of payments.

8; Japan and Indonesia exchange, in Djakarta, instruments of ratification of a Treaty of Amity and Commerce effective for three years.

March

16; Japan and Pakistan sign an agreement under which Pakistan is entitled to receive credits totaling Y9,000 million. An economic mission from Ghana led by Mr Krobo Edusei, the Minister of Agriculture, arrives in Japan. Sr Luigi Proti, the Italian Minister for Foreign Trade, arrives in Japan for talks on trade liberalisation.

22; Japan and the United States sign a Consular Convention in Tokyo

26; The Anglo-Japanese Nuclear Power Symposeum opens in Tokyo.

28; The British Secretary of State, Lord Home, arrives in Japan on a nine-day visit at the invitation of the Japanese Government.

29; Japan and Burma sign an Agreement on Economic and Technical Co-operation in Rangoon. This Agreement liquidated all Burmese claims against Japan in respect of war damage.

April

2; Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands arrives in Japan for a nine-day official visit.

4; The instruments of ratification of the Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Commerce, Establishment and Navigation are exchanged in Tokyo.

10; Mr Christian Herter arrives in Tokyo for talks about the 'Kennedy Round' of tariff cuts.

12; M Couve de Murville, the French Minister for Foreign Affairs, arrives in Japan on a nine-day official visit at the invitation of the Japanese Government.

17; Local elections to prefectural and municipal assemblies and for prefectural governors are held.

23; The instruments of ratification of the Anglo-Japanese Convention on Double Taxation are exchanged in London.

30; Japan and the Benelux countries sign an Agreement for the Disinvocation of Article 35 of the GATT. Local elections for mayors and members of urban councils are held throughout Japan.

May

14; Japan and France sign in Paris a six year Agreement on Commerce and a protocol providing for most-favoured-nation treatments and the disinvocation of Article 35 of the GATT against Japan.

16; The first in a series of meetings of a Japan-Australia Economic Committee opens in Tokyo.

23; President Sukarno of Indonesia arrives in Tokyo for a ten-day unofficial visit. He held talks with (American representatives) on the operation of foreign oil companies in Indonesia, on Indonesia's participation in the Olympic Games and on the establishment of Malaysia.

27; The King and Queen of Thailand arrive in Japan for a ten-day state visit.

30; Tunku Abdul Rahman, Prime Minister of Malaya, arrives in Tokyo for a four-day visit, during which he had talks with President Sukarno on the establishment of Malaya.

June

4; Japan and the Federation of Malaya sign in Kuala Lumpur an Agreement for the Avoidance of Double Taxation.

July

6; The 43rd Ordinary Session of the Diet comes to an end.

8; Mr Takeo Miki, Chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party's Organisation Research Committee, publishes an interim report on the modernisation of the party; calling for the dissolution of the factions.

17; The Prime Minister, Mr Hayato Ikeda, made some changes in his Cabinet; appointing nines new ministers.

19; The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announce that they would set up a special mission to the OECD in Paris.

26; The OECD Council unanimously agrees to invite Japan to join the organisation.

31; The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Ohira, goes to Washington for talks about President Kennedy's proposal to tax Americans who acquire foreign stock.

August

1; Mr John McEwen, the Australian deputy Prime Minister, arrives for a six-day visit.

5; Mr McEwen, signs a protocol amending the Agreement on Commerce between Japan and Australia, providing for the disinvocation by Australia of Article 35 of the GATT against Japan.

9; 9th World Conference against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs (Gensuikyo) opens a three-day session at Hiroshima.

14; The Japanese Ambassadors in London, Washington and Moscow sign the partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.

15; The Emperor and Empress attend a memorial ceremony for the war dead. For the first time since the war, the Government calls a national day of mourning.

A £5 million Japanese Government loan is raised on the London Market to refund the 1899 4% bond.

20; The Government approves the sale of a vinylon plant to Communist China.

25; Mr Ohira leaves on a 17-day tour of Europe, visiting Scandinavia, Britain and France.

27; A Bulgarian economic mission led by Mr Jivko Jivkov, First Deputy Premier, arrives for a 12-day visit.

September

3; Mr Ohira arrives in London for talks with British Government leaders.

5; Mr Ohira arrives in Paris for the first time in a series of talks at ministerial level.

14; The International Civil Aviation Organisation Conference in Tokyo ends in the signing of an Air Offences Convention.

An economic mission led by Mr Kaheita Okasaki, President of All Nippon Airways, leaves for a two-week visit to Peking.

16; Malaysia Day; Japan sends a Cabinet Minister to the celebrations in Kuala Lumpur.

22; The Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Mr Munenori Akagi, and the Minister of of International trade and Industry, Mr Hajime Fukuda, left Tokyo to attend a Japan-Canada Ministerial meeting.

23; The Prime Minister, Mr Ikeda, leaves Tokyo for a two-week tour of the Philippines, Indonesia, Australia and new Zealand.

October

5; Japanese Industrial fair opens in Peking.

6; British Ambassador leaves Japan on retirement leave.

7; Mr Chou Hung-ching, an interpreter, defects from Chinese Trade Mission to the Soviet Embassy. He is handed over to the Japanese authorities.

9; Mr Julian Ridsdale, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Air, arrives in Tokyo for a nine-day stay as a guest of the Japanese Government.

15; The 44th Extraordinary Session of the Diet is convened.

Mr Alan Green, Minister of State at the Board of Trade, arrives for a nine-day visit.

17; Mr Takeo Miki, Chairman of the Liberal democratic Party organisation Investigation Committee, publishes a full report on party modernisation.

23; The House of Representatives is dissolved.

24; Negotiations on the payment of a 'blood debt' by Japan to Malaysia opened in Kuala Lupur.

November

6; Dr Luebke, President of the Federal Republic of Germany, accompanied by Dr Schroeder, Minister for Foreign Affairs, arrives for a 10-day state visit.

6-11; GOC-in-C Far East Alnd Forces (General Hewetson) visits Japan.

9; A train crash at Yokohama caused the death of 160 people. In Fukuoka a mine explosion kills 451 people.

11; The annual conference of the international Monetary Fund opens in Tokyo. The Government announced that Japan would move over to IMF Article 8 status on April 1, 1964.

21; A general election of members of the House of Representatives takes place. A referendum to approve the appointment of nine High Court Judges is held concurrently. The election results in the Liberal Democratic Party maintaining their large majority.

23; President Kennedy assassinated. Economic talks between Japan and the USA postponed.

December

4; The 45th Extraordinary Session of the Diet is convened.

7; Mr Naka Funada elected Speaker and Mr Isaji Tanaka elected Vice-Speaker of the House of Representatives.

9; Mr Ikeda re-elected Prime Minister.

12; Princess Margrethe of Denmark arrives for a six-day unofficial visit.

14; Japan and India sign an agreement in Tokyo, settling property claims arising out of the provisions of the Japan-India Peace Treaty.

18; The 45th Extraordinary Session of the Diet came to an end.

20; The 46th Ordinary Session of the Diet is convened.

1964

January

17-18; President Sukarno and the US Attorney-General, Robert Kennedy, hold talks on Malaysia.

20-30; King and Queen of Belgium pay a state visit to Japan.

27-28; Meeting of the Japan-United States Ministerial Committee on Trade and Economic Affairs.

February

23; Mr Yoshida arrives in Taiwan on a good will visit.

March

11; The IMF announces the transfer of Japan to Article 8 status.

12; Normalisation talks between Japan and Korea are re-opened in Tokyo.

14; A group of British Parliamentarians arrive in Japan on a good will visit.

16; The 8th Japan-Soviet Fishery Talks open in Moscow.

April

6-12; The French Prime Minister, M Pompidou, and Foreign Minister, M Couve de Murville, pay an official visit to Japan.

10; The Communist China Trade Exhibition opens in Tokyo.

16; After talks between the Prime Minister, Mr Ikeda, and the Chaiman of Sohyo, Mr Ohta, the strike planned for April 17 is postponed.

28; Japan becomes a member of the OECD.

May

1-5; The Secretary of State, Mr Butler, visits Japan for the Second periodic Anglo-Japanese Ministerial Consultations.

14-27; The Soviet First Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Mikoyan, visits Japan with a Parliamentary mission.

15; The Partial Nuclear test Ban Treaty is approved by the House of Representatives.

26; The Second Meeting of the Anglo-Japanese Cultural Commission is held.

June

16-26; The King and Queen of Malaysia pay a state visit to Japan.

20; President Sukarno, President Macapagal and Tunku Abdul Rahman hold talks in Tokyo.

26; The 46th Ordinary Session of the Diet ends.

July

3; The Constitution Study Council submits its final report.

3-5; The Foreign Minister, Mr Ohira, visits Taiwan.

10; Mr Ikeda re-elected President of the Liberal Democratic Party.

13; Five Communist Chinese officials arrive in Japan to set up a permanent trade liaison office.

17; Mr Ikeda completes the reshuffling of his Cabinet, retaining only three former colleagues.

25; The Foreign Minister, Mr Shiina, announces that the Government will agree to the visits of American nuclear powered submarines.

30; Separate anti-nuclear weapon conferences held by the Japan Communist Party, the Japan Socialist Party and the Democratic Socialist Party to mark the anniversary of Hiroshima.

31; The Japan-United States Consultative Committee on Security holds its 5th meeting.

September

4-5; The third Japan-Canada Ministerial Conference is held in Tokyo.

7-11; The joint annual meeting of the IMF and the World Bank takes place in Tokyo.

9; The Prime Minister entered hospital for a throat condition.

10; The third round of talks on a new tripartite North Pacific Fisheries Treaty opens in Ottawa.

27-29; Japan and China exchange newspaper reporters.

29; The Administration Reform Study Council publishes its full report.

October

10; The Olympic Games open in Tokyo

14-30; An official Japan Socialist Party delegation visits China.

24; The Olympic Games close.

25; The Prime Minister, Mr Ikeda, announces his intention to resign.

November

9; Mr Ikeda resigns. The 47th Extraordinary Session of the Diet convenes and elects Mr Eisaku Sato Prime Minister.

11-12; The Japan Confederation of Labour (Domei) holds its inaugural convention.

12-15; An American nuclear-powered submarine visits Japan for the first time.

17; Soka Gakkai inaugurated its political party, Komeito.

24; The Japan Communist Party's 9th Congress opens.

December

1; The 15th extraordinary convention of the Liberal Democratic Party elected Mr Sato President of the Party.

2; The formation of a second Communist Party was announced.

3; The Japan-Korea normalisation talks resume in Tokyo.

11; Left-wing factions secure a majority on the Executive Committee of the Japan Socialist Party.

14-22; The Crown Prince and Princess pay a state visit to Thailand.

18; The 47th Extraordinary Session of the Diet ends.

21; The 48th Ordinary Session of the Diet is convened.

1965

January

10-15; The British Minister of State for Shipping, Mr Roy Mason, visits Japan.

10-17; The Japanese Prime Minister, Mr Sato, visits the United States and the United Nations.

14-19; The Japanese Foreign Minister, Mr Shiina, visits London for the third round of the Regular Anglo-Japanese Ministers' Consultations.

26; The International Labour Organisation (ILO) Fact Finding Mission leaves Japan.

February

20; A draft Japan-Korea basic agreement is initialled in Seoul.

March

6; The Sanyo Special Steel Company declares itself insolvent.

April

10-14; The Parliamentary Under-Secretary in the Foreign Office, Lord Walston, visits Tokyo.

16; An agreement is reached in Anglo-Japanese Air negotiations.

18-19; Mr Kawashima, Vice-President of the Liberal Democratic Party, represents Japan at the Tenth Anniversary Celebrations of the Bandung Conference.

21; The Lower House ratifies International Labour Organisation Convention 87.

May

1-10; Tunku Abdul Rahman visits Japan.

6; The Japan Socialist Party elects Mr Saski as Chairman in place of Mr Kawakami.

14; The Lower House passes the Farmland Compensation Bill.

19; Dr Subandrio arrives for talks.

June

1; The 48th (Regular) Diet ends.

2-3; The Cabinet and senior Liberal Democratic Party posts are reshuffled.

22; The Foreign Ministers of Japan and South Korea sign a treaty and four agreements normalising relations.

July

4; Elections for the Upper House are held.

8; Mr Ichiro Kono dies.

22; The Liberal Democratic Party is heavily defeated in elections for the Tokyo Assembly.

22; The 49th (Extraordinary) Diet opens.

August

11; The Diet ratifies the Anglo-Japanese Consular Convention.

11; The 49th (Extraordinary) Diet closes.

13; The former Prime Minister, Mr Ikeda, dies.

19-21; The Prime Minister, Mr Sato, visits Okinawa.

September

15-19; The President of the Board of Trade, Mr Jay, visits Japan.

17; The British Exhibition opens in Tokyo.

20-30; Her Royal Highness Princess Alexendra visits Japan.

October

2-5; The British Minister of Aviation, Mr Jenkins, visits Tokyo.

5; The 50th (Extraordinary) Diet is convened to ratify the agreements with Korea.

17-20; The British Secretary of State visits Japan for the fourth round of Regular Anglo-Japanese Consultations.

27; Their Imperial Highnesses Prince and Princess Hitachi visit the United Kingdom.

November

9; The Japan Socialist Party and Japan Communist Party hold joint demonstrations against the agreements with Korea.

27; The All-Japan Seamen's Union go on strike.

December

8-12; The British Minister of State for Disarmament, Lord Chalfont, visits Japan for talks.

10; Japan is elected to the Security Council of the United Nations.

11; The Diet ratifies the Agreements with South Korea.

13; The 50th (Extraordinary) Session of the Diet closes.

28; The American Vice-President, Mr Humphrey, visits Tokyo.

28; A revised air agreement between Japan and the United States is signed in Tokyo.

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