Tokyo, August 21, 1958

No.22
Dear Mr. President:
I called on US Ambassador Douglas MacArthur II at his office at 11:30 a.m. today and talked for about 50 minutes. Minister Yiu and Representative Chang Kyung Keun accompanied me on this visit.
After I introduced Mr. Chang who is our representative to THE FISHERIES COMMITTEE, the US Ambassador asked me when the Committee was going to meet. I told him that we wanted to start fisheries discussion as soon as possible, as evidenced from the arrival of Mr. Chang. However, a complicated issue arose in connection with Japan's unilateral decision to release in Japan some Korean detainees at Omura Camp.
We explained to him that at the Korea-Japan Working Committee headed respectively by Minister Yiu and Director Itagaki the Japanese representative promised not to send to north Korea nor release in Japan those Korean detainees who allegedly desire to go to the north, which is clearly recorded. Despite such Japanese action, our side took a very conciliatory attitude for the smooth proceedings of the overall talks and agreed to the contemplated parole, from the humanitarian viewpoint, provided Japan assures us in writing merely that "they would not be sent to the north after their release in Japan ". Notwithstanding such a reasonable proposition from our aide, the Japanese have not yet agreed to do so, thus our side was obliged to postpone the opening of the scheduled Fisheries Committee, pending a settlement of the current detainee issue.
Mr. MacArthur told us that his Government was not in support of the idea of forcibly sending aliens to destinations which are not of their own choosing. He further stated that he understood that Japan would not send them to north Korea after their release, although he thought that it was difficult for the Japanese to give us written assurances to such effect.
We told MacArthur that 'north' Korea, being an integral part of the Republic of Korea, is presently under unlawful occupation by the Communists, and therefore, our Government could not tolerate any of our nationals being seat to that part of our territory Where their safety is not guaranteed. We also pointed out that Japan made a number of oral commitments in the past on various issues and actually broke them on several occasions in the absence of written assurances. Therefore, we continued, we cannot feel secure until written assurances are given on the current detainee issue. Mr. MacArthur understood that point.
When Mr. Chang told MacArthur that since the Middle-east crisis, Japan seemed to have taken increasingly naturalistic stand, MacArthur opined that Japan was an independent country and as such wanted to pursue her own foreign policy. Citing the US-British and US-ROK relations, the US Ambassador said that though they all were good allies to each other, that did not mean that they were in agreement on all issues. He further advised us that as the present Japanese administration headed by Mr. Kishi. is, in his opinion, sincere toward the settlement of the pending issues with Korea, it would be to the disadvantage of Korea, unless a settlement was sought while Mr. Kishi was still in power. he thought that the more the settlement of the pending problems was delayed, the more difficult such settlement would be. We told him that our side had always been sincere on this matter and expected the same from Japan.
Finally, Amb. MacArthur told us that he would shortly meet Japanese officials concerned and do what he personally could, in connection with the present situation. Any further development in this regard would be reported promptly.
With sentiments of loyalty and esteem, I remain,

Most respectfully,