Official Document Text
Source: The American Presidency Project (UCSB Archive)
By virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution, and as President of the United States and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of the United States, it is ordered as follows: SECTION 1. Certain amendments of E.O. 10713. Executive Order No. 10713 of June 5, 1957 headed "Providing for administration of the Ryukyu Islands," is hereby amended by substituting the following for Sections 4, 6, 8, 9, and 11 thereof: "SEC. 4. (a) There is established, under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Defense, a civil administration of the Ryukyu Islands, the head of which shall be known as the High Commissioner of the Ryukyu Islands (hereinafter referred to as the 'High Commissioner'). The High Commissioner (1) shall be designated by the Secretary of Defense, after consultation with the Secretary of State and with the approval of the President, from among the active duty members of the armed forces of the United States, (2) shall have the powers and perform the duties assigned to him by the terms of this order, (3) may delegate any function vested in him to such officials of the civil administration as he may designate, and (4) shall carry out any powers or duties delegated or assigned to him by the Secretary of Defense pursuant to this order. "(b) There shall be under the High Commissioner a civilian official who shall have the title of Civil Administrator. The Civil Administrator shall be designated by the Secretary of Defense, after consultation with the Secretary of State and with the approval of the President, and shall have such powers and perform such duties as may be assigned to him by the High Commissioner." "SEC. 6. (a) The legislative power of the Government of the Ryukyu Islands, except as otherwise provided in this order, shall be vested in a legislative body consisting of a single house. Members of the legislative body shall be directly elected by the people of the islands in 1962, and triennially thereafter, for terms of three years. "(b) The territory of the Ryukyu Islands shall continue to be divided into districts, each of which shall elect one member of the legislative body. The present 29 districts are continued, but the number or boundaries of districts may be altered by law enacted by the Government of the Ryukyu Islands with the approval of the High Commissioner. Any redistricting shall be done with due regard to obtaining districts which are relatively compact and contiguous and which have reasonably equal populations." "SEC. 8. (a) The executive power of the Government of the Ryukyu Islands shall be vested in a Chief Executive, who shall be a Ryukyuan. The Chief Executive shall have general supervision and control of all executive agencies and instrumentalities of the Government of the Ryukyu Islands and shall faithfully execute the laws and ordinances applicable to the Ryukvu Islands. "(b) (1) The Chief Executive shall be appointed by the High Commissioner on the basis of a nomination which is made by the legislative body herein provided for and is acceptable to the High Commissioner. A Chief Executive so appointed shall serve for the remainder of the term of the legislative body which nominated him and for such reasonable period thereafter as may be necessary for the appointment of a successor pursuant to this paragraph, or, failing such an appointment, pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection. "(2) In the event the legislative body does not make an acceptable nomination within a reasonable time as determined by the High Commissioner, or if by reason of other unusual circumstances it is deemed by the High Commissioner to be necessary, he may appoint a Chief Executive without a nomination. The tenure of any Chief Executive appointed pursuant to this paragraph (2) shall be as determined by the High Commissioner. "(c) The head of each municipal government shall be elected by the people of the respective municipality in accordance with procedures established by the legislative body of the Government of the Ryukyu Islands." "SEC. 9. (a) Every bill passed by the legislative body shall, before it becomes law, be presented to the Chief Executive. If the Chief Executive approves a bill he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his objections, to the legislative body within fifteen days after it shall have been presented to him. If a bill is not returned within the specified fifteen day period, it shall become law in like manner as if it had been approved by the Chief Executive, unless the legislative body by adjournment prevents its return, in which case-it shall be law if approved by the Chief Executive within forty-five days after it shall have been presented to him; otherwise it shall not be law. When a bill is returned to the legislative body with objections by the Chief Executive, the legislative body may proceed to reconsider it. If, after such reconsideration two thirds of the legislative body pass it, it shall become law in like manner as if it had been approved by the Chief Executive. "(b) If any bill approved by the legislative body contains several items of appropriation of money, the Chief Executive may object to one or more of such items or any part or parts, portion or portions thereof, while approving the other items, or parts or portions of the bill. In such case, the Chief Executive shall append to the bill, at the time of signing it, a statement of the items, or parts or portions thereof, objected to, and the items, or parts or portions thereof, so objected to shall not take effect. Should the legislative body seek to over-ride such objections of the Chief Executive, the procedures set forth above will apply. In computing any period of days for the foregoing purposes, Sundays and legal holidays shall be excluded." "SEC. 11. (a) The High Commissioner may, if such action is deemed necessary for the fulfillment of his mission under this order, promulgate laws, ordinances or regulations. The High Commissioner, if such action is deemed by him to be important in its effect, direct or indirect, on the security of the Ryukyu Islands, or on relations with foreign countries and international organizations with respect to the Ryukyu Islands, or on the foreign relations of the United States, or on the security, property or interests of the United States or nationals thereof, may, in respect of Ryukyuan bills, laws, or officials, as the case may be, (1) veto any bill or any part or portion thereof, (2) annul any law or any part or portion thereof within 45 days after its enactment, and (3) remove any public official from office. The High Commissioner has the power of reprieve, commutation and pardon. The High Commissioner may assume in whole or in part the exercise of full authority in the islands, if such assumption of authority appears mandatory for security reasons. Exercise of authority conferred on the High Commissioner by this subsection shall be promptly reported, together with the reasons therefor, to the Secretary of Defense who shall inform the Secretary of State. "(b) In carrying out the powers conferred upon him by the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the High Commissioner shall give all proper weight to the rights of the Ryukyuans and shall, in particular, have proper regard for the provisions of the second sentence of Section 2 of this order." SEC. 2. Further amendments. Section 10 of the said Executive Order No. 10713 is hereby further amended as follows: (1) By deleting from Section 10(a) (2) (b) the following: "even though not subject to trial by courts-martial under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (10 U.S.C. 801 et seq.)". (2) By substituting the following for Section 10(b) (3): "(3) Criminal jurisdiction over (a) the civilian component, (b) employees of the United States Government who are United States nationals, and (c) dependents, excluding Ryukyuans, (i) of the foregoing and (ii) of members of the United States forces." SEC. 3. Transitional provisions. (a) This order shall not operate to terminate immediately the tenure of the Chief Executive of the Government of the Ryukyu Islands now in office: That tenure shall terminate when his first successor, appointed under the provisions of Executive Order No. 10713 as amended by this order, enters upon office as Chief Executive or on such other date as may be fixed by the High Commissioner. (b) The members of the legislative body in office on the date of this order shall continue in office until the termination of their present terms as members. (c) The amendment of Section 4 of Executive Order No. 10713 made by this order shall become effective on July 1, 1962. All other parts hereof shall become effective on April 1,1962. JOHN F. KENNEDY THE WHITE HOUSE, March 19, 1962