TNAG-0115-FCO40-151-Departmental-briefs-for-Commonwealth-Prime-Minister-s-and-ot-1969 — Page 53

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A.

CONFIDENTIAL

China's size and population made it

inevitable that she would exercise a strong

influence in Asia. The aim of Japanese foreign

detente

policy was to promote a relaxation of tension

in Asia through better relations between China

and other countries. The Japanese hoped that

might,

in the long run China be brought to behave

responsibly in Asia. But as long as the

Chinese insisted on worsening their relations

with the United States and the Soviet Union

there was no room for any accommodation by

Japan.

5.

Since the beginning of the Cultural

Revolution the Chinese had kept up their

attacks on the Japanese Government, demanding

in particular the abrogation of the Security Treaty and a break in Japan's relations with

the other China. It was impossible for Japan

to have diplomatic relations with both Peking

and Taiwan as long as both claimed sovereignty

over the whole of China. For Japan to estabe

lish relations with Peking would involve

breaking relations with Taiwan, including in

the important economic field. Such a move

would, morcover, have a great impact on other

countries in Asia. The Japanese did not beliee

that many countries would follow the example

of Canada and Italy. The international line up

would remain broadly unchanged. The Japanese

Government believed that in the interests

not only of Japan but also of the security of

Asia as a whole, it was right to maintain

its present policy under which Japan had

/diplomatic

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