Tokyo, September 6, 1957

No.48
TO : His Excellency
The President
FROM : Tai Ha Yiu
SUBJECT : The XIX Preliminary Session
The following is the gist of my meeting with Itagaki this afternoon:
Itagaki: "I met the finance authorities at the office of the vice foreign minister but opinions differed so widely that nothing resulted from our talk. However, the opinion was unanimous that the problems must be settled.
I would like to make another proposal to you, and that is--to delete altogether article 4 of the Agreed Minutes pertaining to the U.S. Memorandum except that part which states that Japan has no objection to discussing for settlement the Korean claims with sincerity. Also delete any reference to the U.S. memorandum in the note verbale."
Yiu: "I told you the other day that the Japanese side must accept our amendment proposal as it is. Our meetings are to prepare the way for the resumption of the formal conference, but before we do so, the Japanese side must withdraw the Kubota statement and the claim to property in Korea unconditionally. An to the detainee issue, your side must promise not to detain any more Korean. All these problems are so intertwined that there can be no one settlement without the other."
Itagaki: "Because we know this is why we are so anxious to settle them. If the Japanese side agrees to accept the Korean demand that the proposed amendments be inserted in the Agreed Minutes, do I take it that there will be no further conditions on the part of Korea?"
Yiu: "That is correct."
Itagaki: "Is there no other way? The authorities concerned are perturbed not about your proposed amendments but of the amount the Korean side will claim."
Yiu: "Our property claims amount will be a minimum and reasonable one. As I have told you, if the Japanese side is sincere we might not bring up the question of reparations.
With the fishing season nearing, there will be mass violation of our Peace Line by Japanese vessels forcing our side to seize them. We must come to agreement by the end of next week."
Itagaki: "If this is a matter for the foreign Ministry alone to decide we can settle it right away but with so many divergent opinions it is not so easy. I will try my best and I want you to have faith in me. And do relay my proposal to your government."
Yiu: "I have given you our answer. The Korean amendment proposal on the property claims must be inserted in the agreed minutes."
Itagaki: "I shall do whatever I can."
The cable report sent of this meeting made no mention of the proposal I made that our amendments must at least be inserted in the agreed minutes. I have therefore sent a separate cable in code.