July 1, 1958

REVIEW OF NEGOTIATIONS FOR TEN WEEKS AT 4TH KOREA-JAPAN CONFERENCE (April 15-July 1, 1958)
I. General Survey
1, The talks made very slow progress, Meeting nine times, the plenary sessions spent a month from April 15, 1958 to May 14, 1958 to set up committees and to decice agenda,
2, The Committee on Legal Status of Korean Residents in Japan held 5 meetings, the first on May 19, and the fifth and last on July 1, 1958. It means that the meetings were held at an interval of 9.2 days. The Sub-Committee on Vessel held 6 meetings, the first on June 6, and the 6th and last on June 30, 1958. It means that the meetings were held at an interval of 4.1 days. The first meeting of the Sub-Committee on Korean Claims (Korean art objects discussed first) was held an June 4, 1958, and no meeting has been held since that time.
3, It is not until the early part of June 1958 that the Japanese side set forth something like 'principles'. It was on June 2 meeting that the Japanese side presented the so-called three principles for treatment of Korean residents in Japan. It was on June 11 meeting that the Japanese side proposed to take up the so-called 141 Japanese fishing vessels. It is generally noted that since the early part of June, Japanese remarks at the talks have been getting clearer showing its real intentions in gradual manner.
4. During the past negotiation, one of the difficulties in the way of the negotiation has been that the Japanese side intended not to go beyond the scope of its own domestic law. For the Japanese side, its immigration law is only a criterion for treatment of Korean residents in Japan. One hundred and six (106) iteme of Korean art objects were thus 'donated' to Korea in accordance with Japan's domestic law.
5. It is obvious that the Japanese side employed, to considerable extent, a delaying tactics, before the May election, because of its domestic publical situation, and after the election, because it may have not wanted a showdown with us before the opening and proceeding of the Committee on Fisheries and Peace Line, of which it is very anxious to hold meeting.
6. Generally speaking, our Delegation was faithful in following government instructions. But it is not considered that the Delegation exhausted its efforts to expedite the proceeding. Many times, it proposed, on its own initiative, to adjourn the meeting for too many days. There is no record that our Delegation made any significant recommendations to the Government on important issues.
II. Legal Status of Korean Residents
7 With regard to Legal Status of Korean Residents in Japan, the Japanese side presented the so-called three principles:
i. Korean residents in this case means those who have been resident in Japan since prior to the end of World War II.
ii. The Japanese side is ready to take into consideration special background and circumstances in which the Korean residents are placed.
iii. The Japanese side will consider some longrange measures for stabilized life of the Korean residents, with the hope that the problem on deportation would be settled smoothly.
8. Judging from the recent remarks of the Japanese side, it has no intention to make the 1952 draft a basis for discussion. It seems to have some idea quite different from what it agreed in 1952. Japan's general idea will be revealed probably on July 8 meeting, and it will be quits "contrary to our expectation". Up to this time, the following points are recognised as Japanese ways of thinking:
i. By the term, "Korean residents in Japan", it does not mean those who were born in Japan after the end of World War II;
ii. With regard to deportation of Koreans, the purpose of the meeting is to set 'criteria' for acceptance of deportees in accordance with the Japanese domestic law;
iii. The Japanese side is ready to consider some measure for stabilized life of bona fide Koreans "for considerably long period of time" (on provisional basis), but even such treatment should be accorded if agreement is reached on deportation of 'malignant criminals' (It is still unknown that the term 'malignant criminal' means, but unconfirmed information indicates that it means such ex-convict as Wks served more than one year's sentence.)
iv. Koreans in Japan jost Japanese nationality with coming into force of the San Francisco Peace Treaty.
III. Return of Vessels
9. It was decided that the question of the so-called 141 Japanese fishing vessels would not be taken up at the Sub-Committee unless otherwise decided by the high levels of both sides.
10. It is still pending how to name Agenda item D. It is closely related to the question of the 141 vessels.
IV. Return of Korean Arts object
11. Our side requested the Japanese side to present us a list of Korean art objects which the Japanese side intends to deliver us. Japan so far failed to do so. It is unknown why the Sub-Committee is recessing for so long time
12. On April 16, 1956, the Japanese Government actually turned over 106 items of art objects. It also presented us n list of 489 items of art objects without making commitment as to whether and when it would be ready to turn over them to us.