Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-08
u. 5. and Japan
Sign Pact on
Mutual Defense
Aid Will Speed Time
When els Con Leuve:
Cost Is 500 Million
BY the Associated Prsss

TOKYO, Mar. 8.-Japan and
the United States today signed q
mutual defense pact to give the
Japanese both guns and grain
and hasten the day when Ameri-
can soldiers can withdraw from
the island empire.
The mutual defense assistance
agreement-actually series Of
agreementS-will pour 500 mil
lion Of American aid into Japan's
economy in the next three
months and probably amount to
much more in the long run.
United States Ambassador
John Allison said the agreement
takes us one step nearer the
time when the United States can
withdraw its forces from Japan"
Japanese Foreign Minister
KatSuo Okazaki signed for his
government.
Defense Force Boosted.
The agreement will boost
Japan's defense force from 100
900 to 100000 men and hold it.
along more military lines. The
United States will supply ships
and planes.
The United States also will
start the movement Of 100000
tons Of surplus wheat and l00,-
900 tons of barley to Japan.
And Japan will sell the grain
domestically and in turn use the
money for guns and munitions.
The agreement was hammered
out in eight months Of negotia-
ton which at times brought the
liberal government of Prime
Minister Shigeru Yoshida under
intense opposition criticism. De-
spite Socialist opposition. the
government expects ratification
by April l.
Mr.. Allison emphasized that
the pact does not require Japan
Ito send its young men abroad"
He quoted Secretary Of State
Dulles who said recently the
agreement would be purely Of
q defensive nature. directed ex-
clusively toward contributing to
the defense and security Of the
Japanese homeland"
However, neither does the
agreement specify that Japan
should not send troops wherever
it saw At.
200 Military Advisers.
The agreement binding Japan
to the Western democracies in
the fight against communism
provides for destroyerS, tanks.
jeeps. airplanes and other mill
tary needs. It also provides for
a 700-man military advisory
group to serve with the japanese
defense force.
Material given to the japanese
cannot be resold to other ma
tions.
The agreement is almost iden-
tical with similar mutual defense
pacts the United States has
signed with many nations.
Mr.. Okazaki noted, Our par
ticipation in the system Of mu-
tual security signifies another
step In our cooperation with the
free nations"
The japanese Foreign Minister
also said that the agreement was
purely defensive and bound Ja-
pan to take UP no further obi
cations than she already has,
such as requiring the dispatch
Of our safety forces overseas"
He also emphasized that
japan could only go as fast as
her economic strength permitted
and this was recognized in the
agreement.
Amounts Not Specified.
The exact amount or number
OF military items to be furnished
Is left unspecifled. However.
American military authorities
are prepared to go as fast as
the japanese wish because
Japanese forces must be stepped
up sharply before any substan-
tial American withdrawal.
I'VE can support any kind of
program they are likely to come
up with" one reliable source
commented.
The agreements have come
under fire from the Communists
who call them another form of
imperialism and from the
South Koreans Gwho fear re-
armament will spur q rebirth of
japanese militarism.
-