A Study Of The Disposal Of Allied Nations' Property In Japan

During the World Warâ…¡, especially after the outbreak of the Pacific War, the Japan Government confiscated the property which owned or controlled by the Allied nations or its nationals according to the Enemy Property Custody Law (Law No.99 of 1941). It is desired to set the principle to dispose these properties after the surrender of the Japan Emperor Government, though it had not done until the U.S. made its decision to conclude a peace treaty with Japan. With the situations rapidly changed in the East Asia, the United States put forward the long-delayed problem with Japan to conclude a peace treaty. The proper disposal of these properties is especially needed. At the beginning, the Americans have no opinion about it, and when John Foster Dulles was appointed as the Consultant to the Department of State, he gradually made the U.S. policy that it is the Japan's responsibility to compensate the United Nations and its'nationals'property which subject to damage or loss under the control of Japan. At first the U.S. considered that they can solve the matter according to the peace treaty, and then they realized that they should better do it in accordance with a Japan domestic law. On 13 July 1951, the Japanese Cabinet approved the draft Allied Powers Property Compensation Law(Law No.264 of 1951)and the restitution of property and the compensation for the Allied Nations and Allied Nationals are all in accordance with this law.