Reflections on Japan

Abstract

I LEFT Australia Tokyo in March i946 to represent jointly the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and India on the Allied Council Japan, and held that post until September I947. From April to September I947 I was concurrently Head of the Australian Mission to Japan. I had not been to Japan before, had no specialist knowledge of the country and had a good enough sense of my limitations not to attempt to learn the Japanese language. Hence I write as a political observer, not as an expert. Moreover, my views are personal and unofficial. The Occupation of Japan has been completely controlled by the authority and dominated by the personality of the Supreme Commander. General MacArthur's outlook seems to be built on three basic convictions. First, he believes that defeat, demilitarisation and disarmament, together with the loss of her Empire, make it impossible Japan, in any foreseeable future, to be again a military danger to her neighbours. General MacArthur has said that Japan is destroyed as a military threat for at least ioo years. Second, he believes that the defeat and the Occupation have completely changed the hearts and minds of the Japanese people. They have become genuine converts to democracy and peace. Third, he believes that since Japanese democracy can be overthrown by only the extreme Right or the extreme Left, and since the extreme Right has been destroyed or converted, the only actual danger is the extreme Left. Hence the danger of Soviet influence in Japan. It is therefore urgent, in General MacArthur's view, to help and strengthen a democratic Japan against the menace of Communism and the Soviet Union. It is a key strategic area in a world struggle. General MacArthur's actions in Japan spring from these three convictions. The question that now faces the Allies is what part these convictions should play in the making of the peace. It is not possible the peacemakers to evade this question.