JAPAN OFFICIAL DENIES CIA LINK

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP69B00369R000200240102-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 16, 2003
• Sequence Number: 102
• Publication Date: March 29, 1967
• Content Type: NSPR

Approved For Release 2003/1
Japan Official Denies CIA Link
By Richard Halloran
Washington Post Foreign Service
TOKYO, March 28-Rumors
and speculation about the ac-
tivities of the U.S. Central In-
telligence Agency in Japan,
which have been popping up
increasingly, bubbled into to-
day's parliamentary question
period.
A spokesman for the opposi-
tion Japan Socialist Party
asked Foreign Minister Takeo
Miki whether the Japanese
government and the CIA ex-
changed information. The So-
cialist said that former Pre-
mier Nobusuke Kishi had ex-
changed information with the
CIA some years ago.
Miki replied that he knew
of no such exchanges. He said
that the American Embassy in
Tokyo was naturally in close
contact with the CIA but that
he knew of no unit at the here thought would be a left-
American Embassy. He said ist advance. In Japan, most
he knew of no subversive ac- politicians agree, organization
tivities. rather than policies or per-
Contacts Assumed sonalities wins elections. They
It is commonly accepted
that Japanese and American
intelligence services do have
contacts.
The Socialist's questions ap-
peared to arise from magazine
and newspaper articles here
recently.
The major charge that has
cropped up in recent weeks
holds that the CIA con-
tributed money to help elect
members of the ruling Liberal
Democratic Party, generally
pro-American, over candidates
of the opposition parties, most-
ly anti-American, in the Jan.
29 general elections.
The ruling party did better
than ekDected and staved off
what most political observers
will also agree that the
strength of a political organ-
ization is directly proportional
to the amount of money avail-
able.
Foreign Gifts Denied
Shortly after the election, a
Japanese press report said
that the Liberal Democrats
had decided not to accept
further political contributions
from foreigners. A spokesman,
when asked about this, denied
that foreigners had ever con-
tributed.
Another recent incident was
a Japanese interpreter's
charge that he was ap-
proached by the CIA to tone
down, in translations, the re-
, marks of singer Joan Baez,
known for her anti-Vietnam
and pacifist leanings. The in-
terpreter, however, changed
his story several times and
left the inconclusive impres-
sion that the incident was ei-
ther a clumsy maneuver or a
hoax.
Most of the CIA rumors
have come from speculative
newspaper and magazine ar-
ticles and nothing 'so far has
been proved.
Nor, apparently, has the
issue caught the 'imagination
of the Japanese public. On a
popular Sunday television
quiz show this week, a kimo-
no-clad woman who was doing
quite well was asked the ini-
tials of the American intel-
ligence service.
"FBI?" she ventured. "No,"
said the moderator, "but take
another try." The contestant
then came out with "CIO"-
and lost the $80 prize.
Approved For Release 2003/11/04: CIA-RDP69B00369R000200240102-5