The 13th Disclosure
of Postwar Period Documents and Records

February 24, 1997

1. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan disclosed diplomatic records for the 13th time on Monday February 24. The Ministry has disclosed records of the postwar period which are at least 30 years old.
   The previous disclosure was made on November 21, 1994.
2. The diplomatic records which have been disclosed this time include 32 main items (181 files in total), including "H.I.H. The Crown Prince Akihito's visit to Europe to attend the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain" and the "Agreement between Japan and the United States of America for Settlement of the Awa-Maru Claims," together with 2,659 general items (5,791 files).
   The breakdown of these general items is as follows:
   1,031 items (1,869 files) related to domestic and diplomatic matters of individual countries, 921 items (1,524 files) related to economies of individual countries, 375 items (1,948 files) including minutes related to conferences of international organizations such as the United Nations, 262 items (340 files) related to transportation and communication, and 70 items (110 files) related to cities, civil engineering, construction, real estate, and buildings.
   For more information regarding the items see Annex 1, "The 13th Disclosure of Postwar Period Documents and Records of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Part I: List of the Main Items," and Annex 2, "The 13th Disclosure of post war Period Documents and Records of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Part II: Outline of the General Items."
3. In principle, the disclosed records are available to the public by microfilm at the Diplomatic Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (1-5-3 Azabudai, Minato-Ku, Tokyo). Out of the 181 files of main items, 18 files including the press reports are available as the original papers.
   The minutes and other items related to conferences of international organizations including the United Nations are original papers. However, for public access, it will take at least half a day for the records to be transferred from where they are kept in the Ministry to the Diplomatic Archives.
4. While the records that have been disclosed so far amount to about 1,000 files, this new disclosure covers 6,000 files, including the main items and the general items.
   This large increase in the amount of disclosed records is attributed to the reconsideration of the screening system and rationalization of the screening process, from the standpoint that the Ministry regards disclosure as an important policy and that it should open as wide a range of records as possible so that the nation can understand Japan's post-war-era diplomacy.

Part I: List of the Main Items

Diplomatic Relations between Japan and other Countries

(1) Diplomatic Relations between Japan and East European Countries;

1 volume, 402 pages, January 1955-August 1967

(2) Diplomatic Relations regarding the Restoration of Relations between Japan and Bulgaria;

1 volume, 82 pages, January 1955-December 1959

(3) Diplomatic Relations regarding the Restoration of Relations between Japan and Rumania;

1 volume, 185 pages, January 1955-December 1959

(4) Diplomatic Relations between Japan and the United States of America, Minister of International Trade and Industry Aichi's Visit to the United States;

1 volume, 279 pages September-November 1954

Japanese Government Officials Visits to Foreign Countries

(1) Prime Minister Kishi's First Visit to Southeast Asia in June, 1957;

6 volumes, 850 pages and 3 volumes of original papers, April 1957-March 1958

(2) Foreign Minister Okazaki's Visit to Southeast Asia;

1 volume, 434 pages, July-October 1953

(3) Foreign Minister Fujiyama's Visit to the United Kingdom;

2 volumes, 616 pages, July-November 1957

Japan's Participation in International Organizations

(1) Japan's Participation in the International Finance Corporation;

4 volumes, 1,248 pages, November 1954-October 1963

(2) Japan's Participation in the International Development Association;

4 volumes, 1,689 pages, February 1958-April 1973

Bilateral Treaties regarding Settlement of the Claims Made to Japan for War Damages

(1) Agreement between Japan and Switzerland concerning Settlement of Certain Claims made by Switzerland toward Japan;

6 volumes, 2,681 pages, and 2 volumes of original papers, May 1946-April 1960

(2) Exchange of Notes between Japan and the United States regarding Settlement of Certain Claims made by the United States toward Japan under the 18th Clause of the Treaty of Peace with Japan;

3 volumes, 1,420 pages, and 1 volume of original papers, March 1954-November 1962

(3) Agreement between Japan and Canada regarding Settlement of Certain Claims made by Canada toward Japan under the 18th Clause of the Treaty of Peace with Japan;

2 volumes, 810 pages, July 1953-December 1961

(4) Agreement between Japan and the United Kingdom regarding Settlement of Certain Claims made by the United Kingdom toward Japan under the 18th Clause of the Treaty of Peace with Japan;

9 volumes, 4,753 pages, July 1952-August 1967

(5) Agreement between Japan and Greece regarding Settlement of Certain Claims made by Greece toward Japan under the 18th Clause of the Treaty of Peace with Japan;

5 volumes, 2,801 pages, and 4 volumes of original papers, September 1953-October 1966

Bilateral Treaties regarding Political Affairs

(1) Agreement between Japan and the United States of America for Settlement of the Awa-Maru Claims;

4 volumes, 1,883 pages, August 1945-July 1950

(2) Agreement for Cooperation between Japan and the United States of America concerning Civil Uses of Atomic Energy;

14 volumes, 4,958 pages, and 2 volumes of original papers, January 1952-February 1959

(3) Charter Party Agreement between Japan and the United States of America;

4 volumes, 1,077 pages, April 1952-December 1953

(4) Agreement between Japan and the United States of America for the Loan of United States Naval Vessels to Japan;

3 volumes, 676 pages, August 1953-July 1965

Bilateral Treaties regarding Trade and Economic Affairs

(1) Agreement on Commerce between Japan and Canada;

8 volumes, 1,878 pages, April 1952-November 1956

(2) Two Conventions between Japan and the United States of America for the avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income and Estates, Inheritance and Gifts;

4 volumes, 1,504 pages, August 1951-April 1955

(3) Agreement between Japan and the United States of America concerning Surplus Property;

4 volumes, 1,212 pages, March 1946-April 1957

(4) Agreement between Japan and the United States of America regarding the Guaranty of Investments;

2 volumes, 376 pages, July 1953-November 1955

Bilateral Treaties regarding Immigration Affairs

(1) Agreement between Japan and Bolivia regarding Japanese Immigrants to Bolivia;

3 volumes, 1,420 pages, August 1952-January 1958

(2) Agreement between Japan and Paraguay regarding Japanese Immigrants to Paraguay;

2 volumes, 820 pages, July 1958-November 1959

Bilateral Treaties regarding Cultural Affairs

(1) Cultural Agreement between Japan and the United Kingdom;

2 volumes, 445 pages, July 1959-July 1961

(2) Exchange of Notes between Japan and the United States of America for Educational Exchange Programmes;

2 volumes, 821 pages, June 1948-August 1963

(3) Agreement between Japan and the United States of America on Removal of Restrictions on Transactions Involving Japanese Copyrights in the United States;

5 volumes, 1,759 pages, December 1950-January 1956

Multilateral Treaties

(1) Convention on the Political Rights of Women;

3 volumes, 603 pages, January 1953-February 1963

(2) Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others;

3 volumes, 493 pages, January 1946-March 1961

Economic Affairs

(1) Japan's Import of Surplus Agricultural Products from the United States of America;

43 volumes, 22,414 pages, February 1953-February 1964

(2) Special Procurement in Japan;

2 volumes, 1,030 pages, April 1954-March 1956

Imperial Household

(1) H.I.H. The Crown Prince Akihito's Visit to Europe to Attend the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain;

9 volumes, 4,286 pages, and 5 volumes of original papers, July 1952-July 1955

Part II: Outline of the General Items

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan has newly disclosed 2,659 items, in 5,797 volumes, of the general items regarding the domestic, foreign, and economic affairs of foreign countries. They were collected by the Japanese embassies and consulate offices abroad until around 1965 after the restoration of Japan's diplomatic relations based on the San Francisco Peace Treaty.
These documents consist of 1,031 items, in 1,869 volumes, on domestic affairs and diplomacy of foreign countries, 921 items, in 1,524 volumes, on the economy of foreign countries, 262 items, in 340 volumes, on transportation and communication, and 70 items, in 110 volumes, on cities, civil engineering, construction, real estate, and buildings. In addition, there are 375 items, in 1,953 volumes, of minutes and materials on meetings of international organizations, such as the United Nations.
The details of these disclosed documents are as follows:

Domestic Affairs of Foreign Countries

This category comprises information and the press reports related to the legal affairs and domestic problems of foreign countries. The documents refer to the momentous events of nations, such as independence or coups d'etat; elections; political parties, parliament and cabinet reshuffles, and so on.

Diplomatic Relations of Foreign Countries

These documents include information and the press reports which refer to the diplomatic policies of Foreign countries, not covering, however, those with Japan. Also included are various cases of bilateral diplomatic relationships between two foreign countries as well as diplomacy conducted through official visits by leading government figures.

Economies of Foreign Countries

This material comprises a collection of information and the press reports referring to the economic policies of and economic situations in foreign countries. This includes topics related to the general trends of the individual nation's economy, the financial situation, industry, commerce, and trade, as well as the bilateral economic relations between foreign countries.
In addition, there are documents on worldwide or regional economic trends, such as those of the Middle and Near East or Asia.

Transportation and Communication

These documents include matters which are related to maritime affairs, overland and air transportation as well as communication. The subjects covered under maritime affairs are the policy for and regulation on maritime transportation, crews, ship dealing, shipbuilding, sea routes, and Japanese training-vessel voyages; under overland affairs are matters relating to cars and railroads; and under air transport affairs are such subjects as air routes, aviation laws, and the air transportation business.
In addition, documents on the policies for and regulations on communications, mail service systems, submarine cables, and radio and telephone communications are also included.

Cities, Civil Engineering, Construction, Real Estate and Buildings

These documents contain information on the cities, roads, rivers, land, and buildings of Japan and other countries. Added to these are documents dealing with collecting the remains of soldiers who fell during World War II as well as the visits to their tombs abroad.

Minutes of Meetings of the United Nations and the UN specialized Agencies

These documents comprise the minutes of and materials for the meetings of the UN General Assembly, UNSC ( the UN Security Council ), ECOSOC ( the Economic and Social Council ), FAO ( the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN ), UNCTAD ( the UN Conference on Trade and Development ), UNESCO, UNICEF and the Human Rights Committee. In addition, there are documents on IMF ( the International Monetary Fund ), UPU ( the Universal Postal Union ), ICAO ( the International Civil Aviation Organization ), ITU ( the International Telecommunications Union ), WMO ( the World Meteorological Organization ), WHO ( the World Health Organization ), ILO ( the International Labor Organization ), the UN Regional Economic Commissions, such as ECAFE (the Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East ), the EC for Europe, and ECLA ( the Economic Commission for Latin America ), as well as the Trusteeship Council of the UN.