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CONFIDENTIAL
"Nixon Doctrine" on Asia have contributed to a more
realistic assessment of Japan's future defence objectives.
Japan's military objectives remain, however, strictly
confined to the immediate defence of Japan.
Japanese
Ministers have repeatedly affirmed that Japan will not
seek to acquire nuclear arms.
East of Suez: (1) Defence in South-East Asia
12.
The Japanese are still very interested in the details of our continued presence in Singapore, even though they probably feel that they have already got the substance of what they want there in HMG's clear declaration of
intention.
The Prime Minister might say that pians for
a new five-power defence arrangement in the
Malaysia/Singapore area are going ahead satisfactorily.
Our decision to maintain a modest force in the Malaysia/Singapore area beyond the end of 1971 has been welcomed by the other four powers, and there is general acceptance of our ideas about the size and composition
of the force. We shall be keeping a small number of frigates or destroyers East of Suez (including Hong Kong);
and a a few reconnaissance aircraft and helicopters; battalion of ground troops stationed in Singapore along-
side those of Australia and New Zealand.
Some details
will be given in a White Paper at the end of October. 13. The new defence arrangements which spring from
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long-standing co-operation between the five Commonwealth countries concerned, will reflect the current political
and military realities. We envisage a political
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CONFIDENTIAL