ABSTRACT
In his March 14, 1967, policy speech, Eisaku Sato advocated for the achievement of peace in Vietnam, taking a cautious approach toward the Cultural Revolution and China, and making “proactive steps” toward the return of Okinawa. He described his policies with the slogan “a thoroughly peaceful foreign policy that protects freedom.” Sato had appointed Kusuda from S-Operation as his secretary on February 28. He perceived that Kusuda was a man of few words who was able to keep a secret, something that likely made Sato like him. This chapter continues to follow Sato’s Kantei politics through use of the Kusuda Minoru Files. After being named prime minister at a special session of the Diet on February 17, 1967, Sato began his second government. He kept all of his cabinet officers on, with the exception of Chief Cabinet Secretary Fukunaga Kenji, who was replaced with Kimura Toshio on June 22 due to illness.
