Report of Van Fleet Mission to Far East
Encyclopedia
The Report of Van Fleet Mission to the Far East is a secret report drafted by James Van Fleet
, a US special mission ambassador, after a round of visits to South Korea
, Japan
, Taiwan
, and the Philippines
, and sent to U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower in 1954. The report was declassified in 1986.
This report is to discuss some of the most important issues between the Republic of Korea and Japan.
(East Sea). Koreans fear the possible depletion of their fisheries resources by the overcrowding Japanese fishing fleet. The Republic of Korea Government has declared the "Rhee Line" or "Peace Line" over the Eastern Sea.
According to President Rhee, the "Peace Line" served a threefold purpose:
Under the proclamation, The Republic of Korea Navy attempted to exclude Japanese activity from the area. Under the The Japanese Government has eagerly sought to negotiate a treaty to ensure continuing, but restricted Japanese operation in the area. The United States has taken a position that such unilateral proclamation is illegal, and must be settled by both governments.
Although the Republic of Korea Government has agreed to export rice to Japan, the Japanese Government complains that it is difficult to import rice from Korea. It is reported that Japan can import rice from Southeast Asians at $195 to $210 per ton delivered. The Republic of Korea Government is asking for $290 per ton, which Japan hesitates to agree upon. Japan has offered $225 per ton, if the proceeds are applied to the current indebtedness of the Republic of Korea to Japan under the Republic of Korea-Japan Trade Agreement, or $200 per ton if the proceeds are in free exchange. Korean rice has always treated at the highest price because it is considered the best rice by the Japanese.
The Republic of Korea Government does not wish to comply with the newly enacted Import Procurement Regulations and, it is believed that, it continues to restrict import of Japanese products. With the restriction on importing cheap Japanese products, the cost of Korean Procurement Program is increasing fast and delivery of necessary equipments is delayed. The Japanese are also charged with imposing deliberate restrictions on imports from the Republic of Korea and with over-pricing and poor quality of Japanese exports to the Republic of Korea.
On the other hand, Japan complains that the indebtedness of the Republic of Korea under the trade agreement has risen far above the swing limit provided for in the agreement, and that payments are long overdue. These trade disputes are dampening the effects of the United States dollars in recovery of both Japan and the Republic of Korea.
The Mission was advised by Republic of Korea that:
The 1945 Potsdam Declaration stated that "minor islands," along with Honshū and Hokkaido, remain under Japanese sovereignty. So the State Department pointed out that there could be a controversy on whether Japan has rights to all the islands that are not mentioned in the San Francisco treaty, which succeeds the Potsdam Declaration. It added that it was also controversial whether those who drafted the treaty intended to include those minor islands.
On this, the report points out that "it can be considered controversial whether the Rusk documents were based on enough historical understanding."
James Van Fleet
James Alward Van Fleet was a U.S. Army officer during World War I, World War II and the Korean War. Van Fleet was a native of New Jersey, who was raised in Florida and graduated from the U.S. Military Academy. He served as a regimental, divisional and corps commander during World War II and as...
, a US special mission ambassador, after a round of visits to South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, and the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, and sent to U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower in 1954. The report was declassified in 1986.
Background
Although establishment of close and friendly relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea is vital to withstanding the Communist threat from the Mainland of Asia, the probability of such relations is highly unlikely. Underlying the problem results from Japan's long rule over Korea. The bitter experiences of the Koreans under the Japanese rule understandably left a deep hatred and distrust of Japan in the minds of Koreans. They fear a renewal of Japanese rule, and are alarmed at Japan's revival.This report is to discuss some of the most important issues between the Republic of Korea and Japan.
Fisheries
The most important problem is the fisheries in the Sea of JapanSea of Japan
The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, between the Asian mainland, the Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. It is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific...
(East Sea). Koreans fear the possible depletion of their fisheries resources by the overcrowding Japanese fishing fleet. The Republic of Korea Government has declared the "Rhee Line" or "Peace Line" over the Eastern Sea.
According to President Rhee, the "Peace Line" served a threefold purpose:
- Conservation of valuable marine resources in Korea's coastal waters;
- Elimination of future friction between Korea and Japan with respect to fisheries resources; and
- Sea defense against Communist infiltration.
Under the proclamation, The Republic of Korea Navy attempted to exclude Japanese activity from the area. Under the The Japanese Government has eagerly sought to negotiate a treaty to ensure continuing, but restricted Japanese operation in the area. The United States has taken a position that such unilateral proclamation is illegal, and must be settled by both governments.
Korean residents in Japan
The Republic of Korea Government explains that the Korean residents in Japan should be treated more favorably than normal foreign national in Japan, for they were forcibly moved to Japan during World War II. A majority of the now 600,000 Korean residents in Japan were conscripted laborers forced to work in munitions factories. During the second Japanese Conference in 1952, an agreement was reached that they should all be regarded as citizens of the Republic of Korea, but should also be entitled to equal rights as Japanese citizens. The Conference broke down over other issues, and the Korean residents in Japan are currently treated as Japanese or foreign 'stateless' persons. Their current status is their choice.Korean-Japanese commercial relations
Despite the recent progress, the commercial relations between the Republic of Korea and Japan are not satisfactory. The most serious problem is the rice trade. Japanese traders have pursued to bid for Korean rice. Equal treatment was provided for the Japanese bidders, but Korean auctioneers continue to discriminate them. It was only after pressures by certain Foreign Operations Administration authorizations were revisions made in the Korean Import Procurement Revisions, which granted fair treatment to Japanese traders.Although the Republic of Korea Government has agreed to export rice to Japan, the Japanese Government complains that it is difficult to import rice from Korea. It is reported that Japan can import rice from Southeast Asians at $195 to $210 per ton delivered. The Republic of Korea Government is asking for $290 per ton, which Japan hesitates to agree upon. Japan has offered $225 per ton, if the proceeds are applied to the current indebtedness of the Republic of Korea to Japan under the Republic of Korea-Japan Trade Agreement, or $200 per ton if the proceeds are in free exchange. Korean rice has always treated at the highest price because it is considered the best rice by the Japanese.
The Republic of Korea Government does not wish to comply with the newly enacted Import Procurement Regulations and, it is believed that, it continues to restrict import of Japanese products. With the restriction on importing cheap Japanese products, the cost of Korean Procurement Program is increasing fast and delivery of necessary equipments is delayed. The Japanese are also charged with imposing deliberate restrictions on imports from the Republic of Korea and with over-pricing and poor quality of Japanese exports to the Republic of Korea.
On the other hand, Japan complains that the indebtedness of the Republic of Korea under the trade agreement has risen far above the swing limit provided for in the agreement, and that payments are long overdue. These trade disputes are dampening the effects of the United States dollars in recovery of both Japan and the Republic of Korea.
Ownership of Liancourt Rocks
Liancourt Rocks, sometimes called Dokdo and Takeshima, is, in fact, a group of uninhabited rocks. When the Treaty of Peace with Japan was being drafted, the Republic of Korea asserted its sovereignty over the island, but the United States at that time concluded that the island is under sovereignty of Japan because Japan declined to release its ownership under the Peace Treaty. Our position has not been made public in that we do not wish to interfere in the dispute. Our current position has been that this matter should be taken care of by the International Court of Justice and this suggestion has been informed to the Republic of Korea.The Mission was advised by Republic of Korea that:
- "What is still worse is that Japan now claims the possession of the little islet of Dokdo known Liancourt Rocks near the Ulleungdo known as Dagelet. Japanese officials are making frequent visits to the islet with armed vessels molesting Korean fishermen there. They set up posts here and there in the islet with description declaring as if it were Japanese territory. Throughout our history and knowledge up to the very moment of the declaration of sovereignty over adjacent seas (Rhee Line), Korea's sovereignty over it has never been contended by any country, as it has long been an immovably established fact that the islet, Dokdo, has been historically as well as legally a part of Ulleungdo (Dagelet) Korean territory."
Other claims and counter-claims
- Japanese Claims Against Korea Arising From Property Formerly Owned by Japanese Private Interests
- Claims for Vessels That Carries Korean Registration and Were in Korean Waters on August 9. 1945 (Japanese surrender)
- Claims for Collections of Objects of Art and Collections of Historical and Classical Books
- Claim for Gold Reserves Taken Over by Japan Immediately Prior to World War II
- Miscellaneous Claims
Timeline
This timeline describes the background of the drafting of this report.- June 25, 1950: Korean WarKorean WarThe Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
breaks out. - July 1951: Ceasefire talks start, and immediately prove very difficult.
- August 10, 1951: Dean RuskDean RuskDavid Dean Rusk was the United States Secretary of State from 1961 to 1969 under presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. Rusk is the second-longest serving U.S...
sends an official message to the South Korea ambassador, which outlines the final U.S. Government position (see Rusk documentsRusk documentsThe Rusk documents are the official diplomatic correspondence sent by Dean Rusk, the United States Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs, to Yang You Chan , the South Korean ambassador to the U.S. The documents show the negotiating position of the U.S. State Department at the time...
). - January 18, 1952: The Syngman Rhee lineSyngman Rhee lineThe Syngman Rhee Line refers to a boundary line established by South Korean President Syngman Rhee in his "Peace Line" declaration of January 18, 1952, which included the Liancourt Rocks in Korean territory....
is declared, marking the beginning of the Liancourt RocksLiancourt RocksThe Liancourt Rocks, also known as Dokdo or Tokto in Korean or in Japanese, are a group of small islets in the Sea of Japan . Sovereignty over the islets is disputed between Japan and South Korea...
dispute. - April 28, 1952: The treaty of peace with Japan (Treaty of San FranciscoTreaty of San FranciscoThe Treaty of Peace with Japan , between Japan and part of the Allied Powers, was officially signed by 48 nations on September 8, 1951, at the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco, California...
) is concluded, formalizing the independence of Korea. - July 27, 1953: s:Korean Armistice Agreement signed by the Commander, United Nations Command. (South Korea does not attend signing.)
- August 15, 1954: The secret Report of Van Fleet Mission to The Far East, by James A. Van FleetJames Van FleetJames Alward Van Fleet was a U.S. Army officer during World War I, World War II and the Korean War. Van Fleet was a native of New Jersey, who was raised in Florida and graduated from the U.S. Military Academy. He served as a regimental, divisional and corps commander during World War II and as...
, is delivered to the US President. - September 25, 1954: The Japanese government lodges a complaint with the International Court of Justice against South Korea for illegally taking possession of the Liancourt RocksLiancourt RocksThe Liancourt Rocks, also known as Dokdo or Tokto in Korean or in Japanese, are a group of small islets in the Sea of Japan . Sovereignty over the islets is disputed between Japan and South Korea...
and the surrounding waters. The South Korean government does not respond.
After the Report of Van Fleet Mission to Far East
According to the internal report, the U.S. government took the position that "a series of U.S. measures regarding Liancourt Rocks should not be interpreted as saying that the islets' sovereignty lies with Japan" in the early 1950s. the State Department report at the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. The report, dated Aug. 26, 1954 (After the Rusk and Van Fleet document), is entitled "Conflicting Korean-Japanese Claims to Dokdo Island (otherwise known as Takeshima or Liancourt Rocks)." The State Department report first gives a detailed explanation on how Liancourt Rocks was excluded from the list of Korean territory that Japan was to return in Article 2 of the San Francisco treaty. It then points out that whether the accord implies a legal decision that Liancourt Rocks remains with Japan was still a question.The 1945 Potsdam Declaration stated that "minor islands," along with Honshū and Hokkaido, remain under Japanese sovereignty. So the State Department pointed out that there could be a controversy on whether Japan has rights to all the islands that are not mentioned in the San Francisco treaty, which succeeds the Potsdam Declaration. It added that it was also controversial whether those who drafted the treaty intended to include those minor islands.
On this, the report points out that "it can be considered controversial whether the Rusk documents were based on enough historical understanding."
See also
- Rusk documentsRusk documentsThe Rusk documents are the official diplomatic correspondence sent by Dean Rusk, the United States Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs, to Yang You Chan , the South Korean ambassador to the U.S. The documents show the negotiating position of the U.S. State Department at the time...
- Syngman Rhee lineSyngman Rhee lineThe Syngman Rhee Line refers to a boundary line established by South Korean President Syngman Rhee in his "Peace Line" declaration of January 18, 1952, which included the Liancourt Rocks in Korean territory....
- Liancourt RocksLiancourt RocksThe Liancourt Rocks, also known as Dokdo or Tokto in Korean or in Japanese, are a group of small islets in the Sea of Japan . Sovereignty over the islets is disputed between Japan and South Korea...
- Wikisource:Report of Van Fleet mission to the Far East
External links
- "6. Treatment of Takeshima in the San Francisco Peace Treaty", The Issue of Takeshima, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.
- "미국, 한국전직후 "독도는 일본땅" 일방결론", Segye Ilbo, 2006-03-27.
- Translation of the above Segye Ilbo article in English: "U.S. recognized Japanese claims on Dokdo!", The Marmot's HoleThe Marmot's HoleThe Marmot's Hole is a popular weblog by American writer Robert J Koehler dealing with Korean politics and society. It is believed to be the most widely-read English-language blog dealing with Korea-related topics. Because of this status, it is frequently used as a source for news stories about...
, March 27, 2006.