Mr. Kishi, accompanied by Mr. Fujiyama, Mr. Hagiwara, Mr. Shiina, Mr. Matsumoto, and other officials, met with the Prime Minister and Mr. Green for 35 minutes this morning.

After Mr. Diefenbaker had briefly outlined the programme of talks for the day, he invited Mr. Kishi to begin the conversation. Mr. Kishi then spoke through an interpreter for approximately 20 minutes, making the following points.

He expressed appreciation for Canadian sympathy and assistance during last year’s typhoon in Japan.

He invited Mr. Diefenbaker to pay a visit to Japan. Mr. Diefenbaker expressed his warm appreciation, adding that he hoped very much that it would be possible to arrange a mutually agreeable date.

Mr. Kishi expressed Japanese appreciation of Canadian cooperation and support in the United Nations. He believed that it would be to the benefit of both countries and to the cause of world peace if Japanese-Canadian cooperation were further strengthened.

In a brief reference to the mutual security treaty with the United States, Mr. Kishi said that it was based on the principle that Japan would maintain its position as a free nation. At the same time, in its effort to promote improved international relations generally, Japan attached the highest importance to the United Nations.

Mr. Kishi said that he believed that personal exchanges of visits such as those being undertaken by Mr. Khrushchev and President Eisenhower went some way to alleviate world tension. He warned, however, that numerous problems remained, citing Berlin, Germany and nuclear testing as examples. Japan felt particularly strongly about nuclear testing and believed that the tests should be stopped. He underlined the importance of a successful outcome of the current Geneva negotiations as a staying point on the way to general disarmament.

Referring in general terms to Canada’s foreign policy, Mr. Kishi said that Japan valued the “broad attitude” hitherto adopted by the Canadian Government in seeking to bring together East and West. He hoped that this attitude would be maintained.

Mr. Kishi called for the strengthening of the Colombo Plan, particularly in the fields of technical and capital assistance. He voiced the intention of his government to maintain its interest in the Colombo Plan, and hoped that Canadian interest also would be maintained.

In a brief reference to Japanese-Canadian trade, Mr. Kishi said that there had been an increase in the volume of trade and that the imbalance which had prevailed was gradually being corrected. Problems remained, however, and he looked forward to discussing them in more detail this afternoon. As a general principle he thought that both countries should try to understand each other’s positions and avoid measures which would hurt each other’s economy. With these principles in mind the aim should be an expanding trading relationship.

At the conclusion of his remarks, Mr. Kishi spoke of Japan’s interest in the economic development of Western Canada and in the entry thereto of Japanese enterprises. The survey now being conducted (in Saskatchewan) was a good sign for the future, but there were real difficulties about the entry of technicians and the Japanese Government hoped that these might be taken up and solved through diplomatic channels.

Mr. Diefenbaker then dealt for approximately 10 minutes with several of the points raised by Mr. Kishi.
He agreed with Mr. Kishi that exchanges of visits between national leaders could do much to further understanding. He shared Mr. Kishi’s hope that President Eisenhower’s visit to the USSR would give rise to an improvement in international relations.

With regard to Berlin, the Prime Minister said that the essence of the Canadian position was that the people of West Berlin should in no way be sacrificed.

On nuclear testing, Mr. Diefenbaker said that “Japan’s views are our views.” Canada believed firmly that nuclear testing should end (here he recalled the Canadian vote in the General Assembly on the French bomb test in the Sahara), and agreed that if the powers concerned could work out an arrangement for the discontinuance of tests this would be an important step towards general disarmament. Mr. Diefenbaker also recalled his Arctic inspection proposals.

Mr. Diefenbaker said that he wholeheartedly agreed with Mr. Kishi as to the importance of the Colombo Plan. He recalled the recent increase in the Canadian vote for Colombo Plan funds, saying that he regarded this type of assistance as extremely important, not only for improving the technological capacity of the recipient countries but also for improving general relations. Referring to his visit to Southeast Asia, Mr. Diefenbaker said that he had been impressed by the value of student exchanges, which he understood had worked particularly successfully between Australia and Southeast Asian countries.

On trade, Mr. Diefenbaker echoed Mr. Kishi’s hopes for close and continuing cooperation in Japanese-Canadian trade and for its expansion. He expressed special appreciation for Mr. Kishi’s recognition that each country had its own industries and problems to think of. He concluded his remarks on trade by recalling what Mr. Menzies had said to him about the satisfactory nature of trade dealings between Australia and Japan.

On economic developments in Saskatchewan, Mr. Diefenbaker agreed with Mr. Kishi’s hope that the problems connected with Japanese investment should be capable of solution through diplomatic consideration. He did not think there would be any insurmountable difficulty and agreed that discussions should take place so that Japan would not be subject to impediments which would render impossible the completion of the projects or transactions which it had in mind. “There should be nothing to prevent us from reaching a sound, fair and reasonable solution.”

Mr. Green expressed the Canadian Government’s warm satisfaction with the present state of Japanese-Canadian cooperation in the United Nations. Canada had no better friend than Japan, and Mr. Matsudaira had been especially helpful. If Mr. Kishi had any suggestions as to how Canadian-Japanese cooperation in the United Nations might be further strengthened, the Canadian Government would be very glad to have them.

After the meeting the Prime Minister gave some general comments to the press. He did not mention the invitation which he had received to visit Japan in view of the fact there had been no discussion in the meeting of how and when this information should be made public.³⁰

³⁰ Note marginale :/Marginal note:
OK. R. C[ampbell] 23/1