TOKYO BUREAU USE OF NHK SCRIPTS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00765A000100020040-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 23, 2009
• Sequence Number: 40
• Publication Date: June 23, 1954
• Content Type: LETTER

? S
E.._
LIAISON
Chief, FBIS
2430 "E" Street, N.W.
;:ashington 25, D.C.
Subject: Tokyo Bureau Use of
NHK Scripts STAT
Your 11 June letter expressing BBC concern over this Bureau's
use of NHK script material has been received.
The Home and International Service scripts are all received by
this Bureau after they have been broadcast. In other words, they
are not in any sense previews of proposed broadcasts, but are
hand-outs of material, in English translation, as it was actually
used over the air. I have the word of Pis. Yamazaki, Chief of the
N-Hl International Service, that no script is ever furnished FBIS
unless it has been broadcast.
Soon after my arrival in Tokyo, I shared BBC's concern in this
matter. It was at that time that I received Yr. Yamazaki's assurances.
As an extra check, each editor prior to filing a script item tele-
phones NHK to verify the beam and language, and, incidentally, to
make certain it was actually broadcast. Usually Tamaru or a native
Japanese monitor makes the call at the editor's request.. This check
system was inaugurated last February and has been faithfully followed
by Bureau editors since that time.
It should be noted that very little indeed of this script
material is ever filed to Washington. We average only two or three
items, usually political or economic commentaries, per month. In
addition to wire copy, we do airmail perhaps another four or five
items weekly. Because of our saturation coverage of Kyodo and Jiji
material, the vast majority of Japanese domestic radio output is
outdated. NHK and independent Japanese broadcasters lean heavily
on the two news agencies for their source material. Only an
occasional commentary merits our editorial selection.
To try to check Japanese radio broadcasting against the scripts
would be operationally unfeasible for this Bureau. It would mean
that a great number of shows would have to be recorded ahead of tire
on the off-chance that an editor might later see fit to select a
script item from one of these shows. Our small staff would be hard
pressed to do this.
 0 a
Granted, we are making an act of faith in NHK's veracity. Yet,
there is no apparent reason to doubt the word of NHK in this matter.
If, however, you feel our present policy is unsatisfactory, we shall
make every effort to rearrange our operational procedures in order
to check actual broadcasts.