Tokyo, December 29, 1957

SUMMARY RECORD OF THE PRELIMINARY TALKS BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA AND JAPAN
1. Time and place:
From 4:00 p.m. to 4:40 p.m. December 29, 1957, at the Japanese Foreign Minister's official residence at Shiba-shirogane, Tokyo.
2. Conferees:
The Korean side : Ambassador Yu Taik Kim of the Korean Mission
Minister Tai Ha Yiu of the Korean Mission
Counsellor Kyu Hah Choi of the Korean Mission
First Secretary Pil Shik Chin of the Korean Mission.
The Japanese side : Foreign Minister Aiichiro Fujiyama
Vice Foreign Minister (Administrative) Katsumi Ohno
Mr. Osamu Itagaki, Director of the Asian Affairs Bureau of the Foreign Office.
Counsellor Kijiro Miyake of the Foreign Ministry
3. The gist of talks:
FOREIGN MINISTER FUJIYAMA
Thanking your coming this afternoon, I would like to make it clear to you that, in connection with the preliminary talks under way, there is no room left for the Japanese side to make any further concession beyond the line that was set on June 14, 1957.
AMBASSADOR KIM
Because both you and Premier Kishi were ill, I was not able to see either of you for a certain period of time and therefore I had opportunity on November 15, 1957 to meet Deputy Premier Ishii in my efforts to break the deadlock of the preliminary talks. At the meeting, I told Mr. Ishii that the Korean side might consider the point in question concerning the property claims if the Japanese side accept the rest of the Korean amendments proposal as a whole.
FOREIGN MINISTER FUJIYAMA
In principle, the Japanese side could not go beyond "the June 14th line", but I would like to be informed of your amendments proposal in this sense.
AMBASSADOR KIM
I would like to point out that the Korean amendments proposal I am referring to now has been made clear to the Japanese side before and that, at my meeting with Mr. Ishii on November 15, 1957, the both sides agreed that the Japanese side will accept the Korean amendments proposal as a whole except the point concerning the property claims issue.
FOREIGN MINISTER FUJIYAMA
I would like to confirm the Korean amendments proposal here.
AMBASSADOR KIM
(Ambassador Kim read the text of the Korean amendments proposal point by point, a copy of which is attached hereto.)
FOREIGN MINISTER FUJIYAMA
Though there existed differences of views among the ministries concerned of the Japanese Government regarding the terms to be agreed upon for the conclusion of the preliminary talks, I wish to inform you that I accept the Korean amendments proposal, excepting the point on property claims issue.
AMBASSADOR KIM
On the condition that the Japanese side accepts the Korean amendments as a whole excepting the point on property claims issue, I will accept the June 16 line on property claims issue.
Following the above agreement on the basic issue, the both sides agreed to the following procedural matters in connection with the signing of the documents for the conclusion of the preliminary talks.
1. The signing ceremony will be held at the Japanese Foreign Ministry at 12:00 noon on December 31, 1957. (The time is tentative.)
2. Immediately following the signing of the documents, the Joint Communique will be released at 12:00 KST (12:30 JSP) noon in Seoul and Tokyo simultaneously.
3. Confirmation was made to the effect that 1) the Annexed Understanding, Oral Statement and the Agreed Minutes will be kept in secret and shall not be publicly released after the conclusion of the preliminary talks; 2) Oral Statement will be read by the Japanese Foreign Minister at the signing ceremony in English; 3) Joint Communique shall be initialed by the both sides; 4) the Japanese Note Verbale should be made out in English only.
4. The Japanese side proposed that the overall talks shall be convened March 15, 1958. In this connection, the Korean side told the Japanese side that it will inform the Japanese side of its decision on the date for the resumption of the overall talks later upon instructions from the home Government.
5. A joint working committee will be formed for the preparation for the signing of the documents: the composition of the Korean delegation to the committee is as follows: Counsellor Choi Kyu Hah, First Secretary Chin Pil Shik and Third Secretary Limb To Kyong, Mr. Suganuma, Chief of Asia First Section and Mr. Ikawa, Chief of First Section of Treaty Bureau of the Japanese Foreign Office.
6. The Japanese side informed the Korean side that they will contact the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo in order that the U.S. Statement in question be issued on the date of December 31, 1957.
- The end -
The both sides agree as follows:
1. The Japanese side accepts all the Korean amendments to the draft documents prepared on June 14, 1957, concerning the settlement of the detainees issue and the resumption of the overall talks between the Republic of Korea and Japan, except the points with regard to the property claims issue. (Text of the Korean amendments attached hereto)
2. The Korean side accepts the draft note verbale, article 4 of the draft agreed minutes and the draft joint communique, in connection with the property claims issue.