8
CYPHER CAT A
CONFIDENTIAL
PRIORITY FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELEGRAM NUMBER 72
CONFIDENTIAL
ROM WILSON, FAR EASTERN DEPT.
YOUR TELEGRAM NUMBER 61:
SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT.
TO TOKYO
33 JANUARY 1970 (FEJ 3/548/1)
WE ARE DOING OUR BEST TO COMPLETE REMAINING FORMALITIES HERE QUICKLY BUT CAN HOLD OUT LITTLE HOPE THAT AN ANNOUNCEMENT CAN BE MADE BEFORE FIGGESS MEETS THE PRESS ON 3 FEBRUARY. FINAL CLEARANCE IS NOW BEING SOUGHT FROM THE PALACE AND NO 12. AS SOON AS THIS HAS BEEN OBTAINED WE SHALL INFORM YOU AND SEND A FORMAL NOTE TO THE JAPANESE AMBASSADOR ACCEPTING THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT'S INVITATION. FOR
COURTESY'S SAKE WE MUST ALLOW HIM TIME TO REPORT TO TOKYO BEFORE
ANY ANNOUNCEMENT IS MADE.
2. WE ARE ENQUIRING WHETHER PALACE WILL WISH THE ANNOUNCEMENT TO
BE MADE BY THEIR PRESS OFFICE OR BY NEWS DEPARTMENT. IN THE LATTER
EVENT, WE SHOULD NEED TO CONCERT ACTION WITH THE JAPANESE FOREIGN MINISTRY WHO, IN CONNEXION WITH PREVIOUS VISITS TO JAPAN BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE, HAVE ATTACHED IMPORTANCE TO MAKING A SIMULTANEOUS
ANNOUNCEMENT IN TOKYO. THIS POINT MIGHT BEST BE PURSUED THROUGH
THE JAPANESE EMBASSY HERE WHEN THE NOTE MENTIONED ABOVE IS DELIVERED.
3. PLANS FOR THE JOURNEY ARE NOT YET COMPLETE BUT FOR YOUR OWN
INFORMATION IT IS PROVISIONALLY ENVISAGED THAT THE SECRETARY OF
STATE WILL LEAVE LONDON ON FRIDAY 17 APRIL FOR HONG KONG FLYING
ON FROM HONG KONG ON MONDAY 20 APRIL AT 1690 TO ARRIVE AT TOKYO
AT 2030. WE RECOGNISE THAT THE LATE TIME OF ARRIVAL IN TOKYO WILL
NOT BE CONVENIENT FOR THE WELCOMING PARTY BUT ON PRESENT TIME-TABLES
THIS IS THE EARLIEST FLIGHT THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE COULD CATCH
AFTER A LUNCH ENGAGEMENT IN HONG KONG. NEW TIME-TABLES MAY BE MORE
FAVOURABLE. DEPARTURE FROM TOKYO WOULD PROBABLY BE AT 2030 ON
THURSDAY 23 APRIL BY POLAR ROUTE TO LONDON.
4. IF THIS TIME-TABLE IS CONFIRMED, THE SECRETARY OF STATE WILL
CONFIDENTIAL
/CLEARLY
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