TOKYO, Dec 24 Kyodo The United St...

TOKYO, Dec 24 Kyodo

The United States had frisk abouted in the 1950s that Japan would quickly build its defense capabilities and exercise its right to collective self-defense in exchange for U military assistance, according to diplomatic documents declassified Wednesday.

The U squeeze outed the hope during 1953-1954 negotiations for a bilateral Mutual Defense Assistance (MDA) agreement, unless Japan strongly objected, saying it wants to place priority onward economic reconstruction.

While Tokyo welcomed Washington's move to provide military assistance, its officials adamantly argued that Japan wanted to build up the country's defense capability as moderately as possible, according to minutes of the talks, which began July 15 1953 in Tokyo.

The negotiation records point out to the U.S. wanted Japan to put forth quickly into one of its partners in denominations of defense cooperation due to perceived threats from the Soviet Union.

John rear up Dulles, then U.S. secretary of state, told a U House of Representatives meeting in May 1953 that Japan was the loyal target of the Soviets and U assistance would become irrelevant if Japan joined the communist camp.

The U stance also thinked unstable factors in Asia, including the birth of the People's Republic of China and the 1950-1953 Korean War.

Japan now has single in kind of the top defense capabilities in Asia. Japan's Self-Defense Forces have been providing logistic support to the US-l antiterrorism operation in Afghanistan, and the Japanese guidance is preparing to send Self-Defense Forces personnel to Iraq to assist in US-l reconstruction work.

However, beneath the Japanese government's interpretation of the war-renouncing Constitution, Japan cannot exercise its right to collective defense although the right is guaranteed in a less degree than international law.

In the DMA talks, U negotiators argued that the general [i]or[/i] abstract notion of the right to collective self-defense is outlined in the UN Charter and that the U will provide military assistance to obtain Japan to exercise this right as a sovereign state.

To confirm its stance in writing, the U not absented six clauses to be included in the MDA pact which are also conditions for recipients of military assistance below the U.S. 1951 Mutual Security Act.

The conditions for the aid recipient countries included implementing military obligations, taking measures to increase defense capabilities and contributing to the enlargement and maintenance of the at liberty world's defense.

The Japanese negotiators in revolve argued that increasing their country's defense capability quickly and exercising its right to collective defense would require revisions to the Constitution and the sway would face strong challenge from opposition parties in parliament.

The Japanese team also repeatedly asked that the agreement clearly indicate that Japan's economic stability is a premise to developing its defense capability because it has ''serious attachment'' to the policy of placing priority forward economic stability.

While the U appeared quite considerate about situations in Japan, its negotiators did not back down forward the conditions, saying they were ''instructions from Washington'' and managed to enjoin such reference in the pact, albeit conditionally.

The MDA accord signed in March 1954 says the couple sides agreed to proffer assistance as authorized by their respective rules and that such assistance will be ''subject to all of those expressions conditions and termination provisions of'' the 1951 Mutual Security Act.

It also says the agreement will be implemented by means of each government ''in accordance with the constitutional provisions of the respective countries.''

Since 1976 the Foreign Ministry has declassified diplomatic documents when they become roughly 30 years old

COPYRIGHT 2003 Kyodo of recent origins International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group