Historical Dictionary of United States-Japan ... - Bakumatsu Films

IKEDA–ROBERTSON TALKS • 111
cating tolerance and patience, and proposing a plan to double national
income. Ikeda governed Japan for four years from 1960 to
1964, during which he cemented the postwar recovery and entered
into the stage of rapid economic growth.
IKEDA–ROBERTSON TALKS. Hayato Ikeda, who was then chair
of the Liberal Party’s Policy Research Council, served as Prime Minister
Shigeru Yoshida’s special envoy during approximately four
weeks of talks with Walter Robertson, United States assistant secretary
of state for the Far East, in Washington, D.C., in October 1953.
The significance of these talks is that they led to the formulation of
basic principles that would guide Japan’s increase of its defense capabilities.
For example, concerning ground forces, Japan proposed
putting 180,000 troops in uniform, whereas the United States insisted
on 325,000 troops. During the talks, Ikeda presented four major reasons
why Japan could achieve modest but not drastic increases in its
defense capabilities:
1. Legal constraints: It would be impossible to amend the Japanese
constitution, especially Article Nine, during the foreseeable
future.
2. Political constraints: Because of a thorough peace education
program conducted by the Occupation authorities, a sentiment
of “not taking up arms” had become prevalent among young
people suitable for military service.
3. Economic constraints: Japan at that time needed not a program
of rearmament but economic growth and social security.
4. Physical constraints: Even if Japan made plans to expand its
Police Reserve Force (in effect, a standing army), it could not
recruit enough people. As a result of the “peace education” program,
very few young people exhibited an interest in voluntarily
enlisting in the Police Reserve Force. If Japan were forced
to proceed with a rapid expansion of the police force, that might
encourage ideologically suspect people to join the Force. Moreover,
the constitution clearly prohibited conscription.
Japan convinced the United States to accept a compromise: Japan
would increase the size of Police Reserve Force to 180,000 within
three years, starting with an increase of 30,000 in the first year alone.