CD a tinarea Wag some day h CLASSIFIED BY SEC DEF i salami us ngE easel THE sacastaav OF DEFENSE ID WASHINGTON THE DISTRICT or COLUMBIA MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT SUBJECT Japanese Defense Efforts U 5 As part of your National Security Policy we have urg g a much better and more equitable sharing with us of the burdens of defense I have just stressed this point with the Defense Ministers Japan is our only Asian ally with the potential significantly to increase its defense efforts Therefore your forthcoming meeting with Prime Minister Suzuki provides a fine opportunity to urge Japan to help provide for its own defense while the v 5 continues to provide the offensive capability in the region S Every administration in the last twenty years tried un- successfully to persuade Japan's Government to increase its defense spending - This is partly because we have never determined what role Japan should play in their common defense 7 - Also Japanese political and constitutional problems prevented realistic discussion of defense issues in Japan until recently and No President has ever stated flatly that Japan must become a full partner with the U S in defending their country -- a full partner in the sensehof sharing some of the costly burden we have borne since 1945 5 cl 4 5 The U S needs a clear commitment from the Japanese that they will move rapidly toward adequate self-defense forces Japanese political considerations make it essential that Prime Minister Suzuki be informed as directly as possible if our deep concern is to be understood A has the points you may wish to make in talking with Japanese have said to us i that we have never told them just at it is we want_them to #33 do The talking points at Tab A attempt to do thi52 41 S I will also meet with Suzuki to reinforce your presenta- tion Later in June we can work out the technical aspects at a security consultative meeting and in my session with Japanese Defense Minister Omura rm cc Vice President Secretary Haig Ed Meese 13890 RIB ho i - ei I Talking Points on Japanese Defense Efforts for Meeting with PM Suzuki - U I have recently ordered an increase of 15% in this year s defense budget For our common defense the US simply has to spend and to sacrifice more '9 - U A prominent new defense burden we are undertaking is the US naval forces in the Indian Ocean Persian Gulf to preserve access to oil for Japan Western Europe and the US As we increase defense by one or two percentage points of GNP we increase the burden on our economy Some changes are clearly needed As we protect Japanese interests by our forces in the Indian Ocean we believe it is in both our interests if Japan assumes a greater share of the burden of its own self defense Constitutionally we know you can help in a military sense I only in the Northwest Pacific but your attainment of an effective 5 self-defense capability there can help to guarantee your security 4f and aid US and Free World interests as well 53 3 - S Yet the Soviets continue their military expansion -- for example last year they added more aircraft to their Far East forces than the whole present inventory of US Pacific Air Forces - S In view of the extraordinary times we both presently face I recommend you consider a significant supplementary defense budget for your FY 81 to procure critical items-such as ammunition missiles mines torpedoes and hardened aircraft shelters We are not try- ing to intervene in yQUr internal affairs but the defense of Japan is of enormous importance to the whole Free World and justifies in our Opinion _much greater efforts by both the US and Japan - S I hope you-can authorize yopr delegation to the forthcoming Japan US Security Subcommittee meeting in Hawaii to discuss the implementation of a_ iyision_of labor that will involve far more Japanese support for our realistic mutual security - S Perhaps the most helpful single-action you could take would be to achieve your Standard Defense Force Program Outline in the next five years _and approximately'double your maritime and air defense capability in the NorthwestjPacific within this decade - S This means the Self-Defense power to protect shipping lanes north of the Philippines and west of Guam plus the air defense of Japan - a 3 123 La -- 8113121 5 1 pa THE-2 seen EIARY or DEFENSE @153 WASHINGTON THE DISTRICT or ootumsm x 4 2 0 APR 1931 MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT 92 add SUBJECT Japanese Defense Efforts U 5 As part of your National Security Policy we have urg a much better and more equitable sharing with us of the burdens of defense I have just stressed this point with the NATOJ1 Defense Ministers Japan is our only Asian ally with the potential significantly to increase its defense efforts Therefore your forthcoming meeting with Prime Minister Suzuki provides a fine opportunity to urge Japan to help provide for its own defense while the U S continues to provide the offensive capability in the region 8 Every administration in the last twenty years tried un- I successfully to persuade Japan's Government to increase its defense spending This is partly because we have never determined what 5 role Japan should play in their common defense 7 - Also Japanese political and constitutional problems 1 prevented realistic discussion of defense issues in Japan until recently and - No President has ever stated flatly that Japan must become a full partner with the U S in defending their country -- 1 a full partner in the sensemof sharing some of the costly burden we have borne since 1945 '5 pan n - r 3 alga-n S The U S needs a clear commitment from the Japanese that I they will move rapidly toward adequate self-defense forces Japanese political considerations make it essential that Prime 3 Minister Suzuki be informed as directly as possible if our deep concern is to be understood Jab A has the points you may wish to make in talking with Japanese have said to us that we have never told them just a at it is we want them to lg do The talking points at Tab A attempt to do this 419 S I will also meet with Suzuki to reinforce your presenta- tinn Later in June we can work out the technical aspects at is gs a security consultative meeting and in my session with Japanese 5 nfy Defense Minister Omuracc Vice Pre31dent 1 Secretary Haig 75 Ed Meese Dick Allen #621 CLASSIFIED 3r sac DEF 9 cm 55 3-1220 o I Talking Points on Japanese_ Defense Efforts for Meeting with PM Suzuki - U I have recently ordered an increase of 15% in this year's defense budget For our common defense the US simply has to spend and to sacrifice more 92 - U A prominent new defense burden we are undertaking is the US naval forces in the Indian Ocean Persian Gulf to preserve access to oil for Japan Western Europe and the US As we increase defense by one or two percentage points of GNP we increase the burden on our economy - S Some changes are clearly needed As we protect Japanese interests by our forces in the Indian Ocean we believe it is in both our interests if Japan assumes a greater share of the burden of its own self-defense l73 8 Constitutionally we know you can help in a military sense i only in the Northwest Pacific but your attainment of an effective 5 self-defense capability there can help to guarantee your security and aid US and Free World interests as well - Yet the Soviets continue their military expansion for example last year they added more aircraft to their Far East forces than the whole present inventory of US Pacific Air Forces - S In view of the extradrdinary times we both presently face I recommend you consider a significant-supplementary defense budget for your to procure critical items-such as ammunition missiles mines torpEdoes and hardened aircraft shelters We are not try- ing to intetvene in yodr internal affairs -- but the defense of Japan is of_enormous importance to the whole Free World and justifies in our opinion much greater efforts by both the US and Japan - S I hope you can authorize your_de1egation to the forthcoming Japan-US Security Subcommittee meeting in Hawaii to discuss the implementation ofva_ iyision Of labor that will involve far more Japanese support for our realistic mutual security - 5 Perhaps the most helpful single-action you could take would be to achieve your Standard Defense Force Program Outline in the next five years _and approximateldeouble your maritime and air defense capability in the Northwesthacific within this decade - S This means the Self-Defense power to protect shipping lanes north of the Philippines and West of Guam plus the air defense of JapanThis document is from the holdings of The National Security Archive Suite 701 Gelman Library The George Washington University 2130 H Street NW Washington D C 20037 Phone 202 994-7000 Fax 202 994-7005 nsarchiv@gwu edu