CANBERRA

Accession of Japan to G.A.T.T.

Mr Peterson [1] said that the State Department had instructed U.S.

overseas missions concerned to enquire about the intentions of the
Governments to which they were accredited regarding the accession
of Japan to G.A.T.T. He explained that the U.S., under the
Reciprocal Trade Act, would need to decide by 12th June, 1955.

Mr Shaw explained that the Government had not taken any decision
yet on the G.A.T.T. review and it was expected that a decision on
the accession of Japan would be deferred until the decision on the
review had been taken. He added that it would not be necessary to
make a decision on the accession of Japan until August.

Mr Shaw remarked that the Japanese were not at present showing any
particular dissatisfaction about the trend of trade between
Australia and Japan. We had consciously sought to give Japan
greater opportunities to trade with us. Mr Ballentine commented
that Japan was hoping that G.A.T.T. members would agree to their
accession and that those members which did not apply the G.A.T.T.

might expect further approaches from Japan once the position was
clear.

In conclusion Mr Peterson deplored as short-sighted the U.K.

invocation of Article XXXV.