RG XXI: Committee on Japanese-American Relations

Historical Note

The Committee organized to hold seminars on Japanese-American relations and was officially active from 1967-1974. The purpose of the Committee was to oversee bilateral US-Japanese meetings on international security and related matters of common concern to the two countries. Edwin O. Reischauer was a chair for the duration of the Committee but was joined by Abraham Halpern as co-chair from 1967-1973. While not a sub-committee as such, it was supported by the Academy’s Committee on International Studies in Arms Control (CISAC).

Five conferences were held: Honolulu, Hawaii, June 22-25, 1967; Tokyo, Japan, April 1-4, 1968; Wingspread, Racine, Wisconsin, January 6-9, 1969; Tokyo, January 6-9, 1970; and an author’s conference to organize the publication delayed from being held in 1971, eventually held January 2-5, 1973. The eventual publication was titled United States-Japanese Relations: The 1970’s, edited by Priscilla Clapp and Mark Halperin, and published by Harvard University Press in 1974.

Funding was provided by the Ford Foundation and the Johnson Foundation.

Scope and Content

The series is contained within the Academy Archives’ Record Group XXI: Academy Projects and Programs. This series contains the administrative and project records of the Committee, from 1967 to 1974, the majority created between 1967-1973 by the executive office of John Voss and held with project files. Included among administrative records are correspondence, minutes, and memoranda. Included among project records are correspondence, transcripts, and planning materials. Both groups of records include budgetary information. 

Significant materials include the papers presented at the conferences, 1967-1970, 1973. There is a limited number of drafts and material related to the publication of the resulting book.

See related records RG XXI: Committee on International Studies of Arms Control.

Arrangement

Processing for the series utilized MPLP principles, thus minimum preservation steps were taken, and folder titles listed in the finding aid are as they appear on the actual folders. Records of the Academy Committee were kept by the office of John Voss, Chief Executive Officer of the Academy. Original order of the records was maintained, with records interfiled where appropriate. Some files were created outside the filing system and were incorporated with like materials.

This series is divided into two subseries: Subseries 1: Administration; and Subseries 2: Project Meetings. 

Subseries 1: Administration has no further sub-subseries and is arranged chronologically. 

Subseries 2: Project Meetings is further divided into five sub-subseries, by meeting: Sub-subseries 2.1: Honolulu, June 1967; Sub-subseries 2.2: Tokyo, April 1968; Sub-subseries 2.3 Racine, January 1969; Sub-subseries 2.4: Tokyo, January 1970; and Sub-subseries 2.5: Racine, January 1973. All sub-subseries are arranged according to original order, but are generally chronological. 

Volume

2 records center cartons (2 linear feet)

Preferred Citation

[Item title, date]. Record Group XXI – Committee on Japanese-American Relations. Archives, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Cambridge, Massachusetts. 

Subjects

Halpern, Abraham M. (Abraham Meyer), 1914-1985
Reischauer, Edwin O. (Edwin Oldfather), 1910-1990
Voss, John, 1917-
Japan--Relations--United States
Security, International--Japan
Security, International--United States
United States--Foreign relations
United States--Relations--Japan