Memorandum of Trade - Oboe-gaki Boueki

However, in 1965, trade between Japan and China started to show signs of slowing again due to the Yoshida Letter Problem (in a letter sent by former Prime Minister Yoshida Shigeru in the spring of 1964, Japan promised not to use the funds of the Export-Import Bank of Japan (Exim Bank funds) for exports to China, which was the only legal Chinese government at the time) and the appearance of the pro-Taiwan Sato Eisaku Cabinet, replacing the China-friendly Ikeda Hayato Cabinet. Meanwhile, China itself was in turmoil due to the Cultural Revolution that began in 1966, and Japan-China trade shrank. In 1968, LT trade was replaced by MT trade (memorandum trade), which was renewed every year, but each renewal was difficult due to political issues, and in April 1970, the "Four Conditions" were issued in addition to the previous three political and trade principles, and the "political nature" of Japan-China trade was further strengthened, such as not trading with Japanese companies investing in Taiwan or joint ventures with the United States. However, after China's return to the international community and the restoration of diplomatic relations between Japan and China (September 1972), trade between Japan and China expanded again, and a kind of "China fever" spread through Japanese business circles.

*Some of the terminology used in reference to "Memorandum of Understanding Trade" is listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…しかし65年になると吉田書簡問題(当時日本が唯一合法の中国政府として認めていた台湾に対して1964年春吉田茂元首相が出した手紙の中で，日本輸出入銀行の資金(輸銀資金)を対中輸出に使わないことが約束されていた)や，中国に積極的であった池田勇人内閣にかわり親台湾の佐藤栄作内閣の登場で，日中貿易は再びかげりをみせ，他方，中国国内においても66年からの文化大革命により混乱し，日中貿易は縮小していった。　1968年からLT貿易にかわりMT貿易(覚書貿易memorandum trade)が1年ごとの更新で始まり，更新のたびに政治問題がからんで難航し，70年4月には先の政治･貿易三原則に加えて〈周四条件〉が出され，台湾に投資している日本企業やアメリカとの合弁会社等とは取引しないなど，日中貿易の〈政治性〉がいっそう強められることになった。しかしその後中国の国際社会への復帰が進み，日中国交が回復(1972年9月)すると再び日中貿易は拡大し，日本の経済界に一種の〈中国熱〉が広がった。…

※「覚書貿易」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報