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CONFIDENTIAL.
spent on defence so as to update their armed
Forces 'efficiency.
6.
It is obviously in the interests of the West
тыся
that Japan should do as well as possible to Contribute
to the defence the Pacific area. But it must be
remembered that Japan is unlikely to move fast on
increasing her defence expenditure, which is an extrem-
ly unpopular issue domestically. Obviously if Japan
could do more in the Far East, this would release US
forces for use elsewhere, but Japan would have to
spend a great deal more on defence to be a useful
partner for the US in the area. Een looking after the
sea area around Japan stretches Japanese resources to
the limit under the current defence budget.
7.
There is no formal relationship between Japan
and NATO though there are, of course close bilateral
contacts in the defence field between NATO members
(especially the US) and Japan. There is also an
informal relationship between the EEC and Japan (though
not of course on security issues). We plan to hold
political and defence talks with the Japanese sometime
this year, and/naturally discuss these subjects in
regular diplomatic exchanges. Mutual visits in both
directions between our Armed Forces and those in the
Japanese Self Defence Forces continue and there have been
RN naval visits to Japan which we hope will soon continue.
4
COMET DENTIAL.
/8.