Deputy Minister Winiewicz, 'Record of Conversation with the Ambassador of Japan on the 13th of this Month'

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January 18, record of deputy minister Winiewicz’s conversation

with the ambassador of Japan regarding the Rapacki Plan

Warsaw, January 18, 1958 Top secret

Record

of conversation with the ambassador of Japan on the 13^th of this month

The ambassador of Japan, Saburo Ohta, paid me the first courtesy visit on the 13^th of this month. During the conversation, apart from usual pleasantries and recalling mutual acquaintances, the following matters were discussed:

1) My interlocutor was chiefly interested in the Rapacki Plan. He declared that Japan is particularly interested in the plan for two reasons. First, as a project whose realization would prevent the expansion of production and [the proliferation of] nuclear weapons  onto countries and armies that do not yet manufacture or possess nuclear weapons, and the example of a nuclear-free zone in Central Europe might turn out to be a model, one likely to be picked up by others. Second, as a stimulus to resume disarmament talks. Ohta made a poignant declaration that Japan, the first victim of atomic bombs, managed to prevent the possession of nuclear weapons by the American troops stationed there (probably not true), and that Japan does not intend to manufacture and deploy nuclear weapons for their own troops, although it has the requisite technological capabilities. He recalled the activity of the Japanese UN delegation for the sake of disarmament, especially those related to the stoppage of nuclear and thermonuclear tests. I responded, among others, by recalling the close cooperation of the Polish and the Japanese at the last UN session, and asked him for information about the new disarmament proposal, should Japan intend to present them at the UN forum (we should not expect it, at least for the time being),

2) Ohta was also interested in the territorial division of work within the MoFA leadership. At the same time, he pointed out that they do not have many employees at the embassy, but they would be taking on new staff.

3) Finally, my interlocutor insisted on a prompt assignment of appropriate space for the ambassador’s residence and officers (they require one large or two small villas). I highlighted our difficulties.

Remark:

That conversation on the Rapacki Plan reflected what Ohta usually said during his first visit.

/–/ WINIEWICZ

AMSZ, z. 23, w. 14, t. 163