Tokyo, May 24, 1956

TO : Office of the President
FROM : Minister Yong Shik Kim
SUBJECT : Political Report No.20
The items in this week's political report are as follows:
I. JAPANESE SOCIALISTS URGING EARLY NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS WITH RED CHINA
II. RUSSO-JAPANESE RELATIONS
III. JAPAN'S 'UNOFFICIAL' CONTACT WITH THE PUPPET REGIME
IV. JAPANESE POLITICS AND LEGISLATION
I. JAPANESE SOCIALISTS URGING EARLY NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS WITH RED CHINA
The foreign policy group of the Japanese Socialist Party mapped out its foreign policy vis-a-vis Communist China calling for an early normalization of relations between the two parties, though it should be subject to final decision at a central committee meeting of the Party to be held on May 30, 1956.
It is, however, to be noted that the above-mentioned Socialist policy recognized the existence of the free Chinese Government in Taipeh. According to the Socialists, the existing situation between Japan and the Republic of China Government should remain in view of the fact that the Formosan area is still outside the administrative authority of Communist China.
It was on January 13, 1956 that Mr. Mosaburo Suzuki, Chairman of the Socialist Party, told the press that "the time has come for Japan to normalise relations with Communist China", urging to conclude a peace treaty. At that time, the Socialist Chairman predicted that Japan would recognize Communist China within two years. (Please refer to Political Report No.3)
II. RUSSO-JAPANESE PROBLEMS
Despite the press report that Japan could be more or less assured of safety of fishing in the nothern waters in question (Please refer to Political Report No.19), capture of two Japanese fishing boats by Russian patrol vessels in the said waters last week suddenly aroused a suspicion about what was agreed. on between the representatives of the two countries in Moscow on safety of fishing. No official announcement has ever been made on the details of the reported "provisional agreement" to be applied to tee fishing in this year's season, which Agriculture and Forestry Minister Kono has reportedly reached with the Russian negotiators. Even Japanese responsible officials seem to have little knowledge of what has been agreed on in Moscow, and they seem to wait for the return home (slated May 26, 1956) of Mr. Kono, who has been visiting the United States, probably to obtain the U.S. understanding on the Japanese desire for increase of its fishing fleets to be dispatched to the area provided under the tripartite fisheries convention between Japan, the United States and Canada. Only a measure taken by the Japanese Government at the present time is that the Fisheries Agency had already warned all fishing boats not to enter the Russian restriction zones pending further instructions from the Government. The Fisheries Agency, however, has reportedly bean instructed by Mr. Kono from the United States to proceed to start talks with the unauthorized
Soviet Mission in Tokyo on the capture of fishing boats. But the instructions are likely to have puzzled the Fisheries Agency because it is not certain whether it would be 'proper' for the Agency to approach the unauthorized Soviet Mission.
In the meantime, Sergei O. Tichvinsky, who recently arrived in Tokyo as head of the unauthorized Soviet Mission, in his meeting with the President of the Japan Fisheries Association, declared he could not answer any question in an official capacity so long as the Japanese Government denied his official status.
There is a story that Mr. Kono agreed in Moscow on issuance of fishing licenses by Soviet officials in Tokyo for Japanese fishing in such areas of the northern Pacific waters as declared by the Soviet Council of Ministers on March 21, this year. But if the story be true, Japan will be obliged to stand in a dilemma for making some contact with the unrecognized Soviet Mission in Tokyo, and that would what the Soviet Russia aimed at. Though high officials of the Japanese Foreign Office stated that Japan would not recognize the former Soviet Mission pending normalization of relations between the two countries, the prevailing view is that the Japanese Government will sooner or later recognize the former Soviet Mission as a de facto diplomatic mission which will enjoy diplomatic privileges and immunities a certain degree.
Notwithstanding, a crucial question Japan is now facing is to find certain ways and means for resumption of diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union, either by the so-called "London formula" or "Adenauer formula". The development of the problem is to he seen after Mr. Kono returns home a few days later.
III. JAPAN'S 'UNOFFICIAL' CONTACT WITH THE PUPPET REGIME
The so-called Japanese Peace Delegation composed of nine civilians now visiting north Korea is reported to have met the puppet regime's Foreign Minister Nam IL on May 18, 1956. In this meeting, Nam IL is said to have expressed his hope again for normalization of relations with Japan, suggesting an exchange of permanent missions to cooperate in the economic and cultural fields between north Korea and Japan. It was on February 25, 1955 that the north Korean puppet regime first announced its readiness to hold discussion
with the Japanese Government on trade and cultural relations and on other problems to establish and develop the relations between the two parties.
Some of the members of the above Japanese delegation discussed with the puppet regime's fisheries officials on the problem of the Peace Line, alleging that the existence of the Peace Line was an impasse against the development of fishing industry of the two countries". It is remembered that the north Korean puppet took the side of Japan in attacking the Republic of Korea's Peace Line on February 4, 1956.
IV. JAPANESE POLITICS AND LEGISLATION
1. In connection with the controversial Election Revision Bill, the Japanese Diet was put again in confusion when the Socialist memoers went so far as to prevent, for three consecutive days, the opening of the Upper House Committee to which the bill had been referred following its approval by the Lower House. It is still doubtful whether or not the bill can be passed until June 3, 1956 when the current session will be closed.
2. Meanwhile, on May 21, 1956, an Anti-Prostitution Bill was enacted by a unanimous vote in the Upper House. The first law of its kind legislated in this country will be enforced from April 1, 1957, and no punitive provision of the law will become effective until April 1, 1958. Since the second session of the Japanese Diet in 1947, five similar Anti-Prostitution Bills were submitted to the Diet, but all were pigeonholed each time.
3. There is an increasing likelihood of reshuffle of the Cabinet ministers, probably after the close of the current Diet session. Observers point out the following factors as reasons for such reshuffle of the Cabinet: 1) that, faced with the Russo-Japanese diplomatic problem, the Liberal-Democratic Party and the Government must secure its intra-party unity; 2) that the Government Party should strengthen its campaigning position before the coming election for the Upper House; 3) that the Government Party should prepare itself for retirement of Prime Minister Hatoyama. There is a rumor that, for the first of the above three reasons, Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu who is very cautious about a hasty resumption of the Russo-Japanese relations would be replaced; for the second, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Kono who is believed to be a closest man to Hatoyama would be nominated as Secretary-General of the Liberal-Democratic party; for the third, Mr. Nobusuke Kishi, Secretary-General of the Party, would enter the Cabinet as Deputy Prime Minister and concurrently Foreign Minister.
Copy to: Foreign Minister