SCAPIN-1404: PACIFIC COAST OIL REFINERIES
GENERAL HEADQUARTERS
SUPREME COMMANDER FOR THE ALLIED POWERS
APO 500
14 December 1946
AG 004
(14 Dec 46)
ESS/IN
(SCAPIN-1404)
| MEMORANDUM FOR | IMPERIAL JAPANESE GOVERNMENT. |
|---|---|
| THROUGH | Central Liaison Office, Tokyo. |
| Subject | Pacific Coast Oil Refineries |
1. Reference is the following memorandum from Central Liaison Office, Tokyo, No. 5954 (ECI), dated 11 November 1946, subject: Pacific Coast Oil Refineries.
2. References are the following Memoranda for the Imperial Japanese Government from General Headquarters, Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers:
a. File AG 463.7 (13 Oct 45) ESS (SCAPIN 134), 13 October 1945, subject: Petroleum Refineries.
b. File AG 095 (27 Sept 46) ESS/IN, (SCAPIN 1236), 27 September 1946, subject: Pacific Coast Oil Refineries.
3. Refining operations in plants listed in Annex 1, reference paragraph 1 above, and those refineries enumerated below, will be terminated on or before 30 November 1946.
a. Yokkaichi-Second Naval Fuel Depot (Kaigun Nenryosho)
b. Amagasaki-Nippon Oil Company
c. Iwakuni-Japanese Army Fuel Arsenal
d. Tokuyama-Third Naval Fuel Depot
e. Tomishima-Mitsubishi Oil Company
f. Tsurumi-Nippon Oil Company
g. Ofuna-First Naval Fuel Depot
h. Osaka-Maruzen Oil Company
4. Exclusive grease factories listed in Annex 2b, reference paragraph 1 above, cutting oil plants and waste oil refineries listed in Annex 2c and 3, will be allowed to continue operation.
5. Necessary operations in conjunction with shipment of products, such as: firing boilers, use of railway sidings, pipe-lines, warehouses, piers, manufacturing and repair of cans and drums, and blending of products may be continued until 1 February 1947, in plants scheduled to cease operations by 30 November 1946.
6. Operations other than refining, as listed in Annex 2a, reference paragraph 1 above, and experimental work in laboratories or experimental stations located in compounds of oil refineries to be closed will not be permitted.
FOR THE SUPREME COMMANDER:
JOHN B. COOLEY,
Colonel, AGD,
Adjutant General.
MEMO FOR RECORD: (SCAPIN - 1404)
ESS/IN JZR/TLN/rhw
3 December 1946
1. Proposed directive is in answer to C. L. O. letter No. 5954 (ECI) dated 11 November 1946, subject: Pacific Coast Oil Refineries, submitting erroneous interpretation of SCAPIN 1236, 27 September 1946, and asking clarification thereof.
2. Action taken is based on the following:
a. All refineries listed in the C. L.O. letter and certain other non-operating refineries or sites and fuel depots or arsenals of the Japanese Army and Navy are included under SCAPIN 1236 direction to cease operations.
b. Exclusive grease plants listed in the letter are to be permitted to continue operation. There is ample capacity at idle exclusive grease factories on the Pacific Coast without the necessity of making use of normal refineries.
c. The cutting oil plants and waste oil refineries as listed in the letter are to be permitted to continue operation. The cutting oil process is practically a blending operation, and the waste oil refining is actually the recorking of used crank case oil.
d. It is felt that the sixty days from 1 December to 1 February is sufficient time to complete necessary operations that are coincident with shipment of products and closing down the plants.
e. Those operations listed as "side business" in the compounds of the oil refineries are not to be permitted to continue operation. In all cases these side lines are not normally connected with refinery operation and have been started during and since the end of the war by refinery companies to give employment to regular refinery workers. If permission to continue operation of these side lines was granted, the large refineries would continue in partial operation as in the past, carrying on the program hundreds of employees whose wages at present are included in the price of petroleum products charged to the Japanese public.
f. There is no need for can or drum making at refineries except for packaging their own products in view of large production capacity of independent can and drum manufacturers located elsewhere in Japan.
3. Action taken is clarification of policy with respect to plants and operations to be terminated: plants are indicated and operations defined.
4. Military surveillance is requested to insure compliance.
5. The interests of USAFIK are not concerned.
6. Concurrences: ESS/Reparations - Mr. Meiklejohn G-4 - Col. Moore
ESS/MFG - Capt. Cohen PAG - Mr. Daniels
ESS/CBI - Mr. Purl NRS - Mr. Singwald
ESS/PCR - Mr. Alber
For additional information please contact Capt. Nash, 2-3361.
J. Z. R.
