美国国务院与军方在日元汇率问题上的博弈(1945—1949)

The Struggling between the U.S. Department of State and the American Military on the Exchange Rate of the Japanese Yen(1945—1949)

二战后初期,由于与日本经济的恢复存在密切联系,日元汇率受到美国的重视。出于占领需要,美国国务院将日元汇率分为军用汇率与商业汇率,且初期仅设立了临时军用汇率,商业领域暂由盟军最高司令官总司令部施行多重汇率。围绕军用汇率的调整与商业汇率的设定,美国国务院与军方进行了激烈的博弈,并派遣特别使团赴日调研,这间接促成军方暂时掌握了在日元汇率问题上的主动权。美国国务院关注冷战背景下的美国远东战略调整,利用日元汇率推动占领目标的转变,而盟总仅从占领及改造日本的角度考虑汇率问题,视野局限于日本和远东地区的改造,这是造成国务院与军方在日元汇率问题上发生冲突的根本原因。最终,美国国务院得到了杜鲁门总统的支持,在日元汇率决策中胜过陆军部和盟总,确定日元兑美元汇率为360∶1,同时终止军用汇率及多重汇率,军方给予配合。1949年4月单一日元汇率的实施,为日本打下了对外贸易和经济复兴的基础。

Due to the close connection with the restoration of the Japanese economy,the exchange rate of the Japanese Yen was highly regarded by the United States immediately after the Second World War.The exchange rate of the Japanese Yen was divided into military conversion rate and commercial rate by the State Department of the U.S.,which satisfied the need of the U.S.occupation at the beginning.The military conversion rate was set for a short time at the early stage,and a multiple exchange rate system other than commercial rate was implemented temporarily by Supreme Commander of Allied Powers(SCAP)because of the immature timing.Accordingly,a drastic struggle happened between the State Department of the U.S.and the American military focusing on the revision of military conversion rate and the enforcement of commercial rate when the situation of the Far East changed.A special mission of the U.S.was sent to Japan to find a solution,which leads the American military took the initiative on the decision of the exchange rate of the Japanese Yen.The State Department of the U.S.focused on the Far East strategy adjustment in the context of the Cold War and used the issue of Yen exchange rate to facilitate the transition of its occupation objective,while SCAP focused on the rebuilding of Japan and the Far East other than Far East strategy adjustment of the U.S.Such a divergence is the fundamental reason leading to the struggle.The State Department of the U.S.finally got the support of President Truman and set the Yen-Dollar exchange rate at 360:1,which was directed to the Japanese government by SCAP in April 1949.In the meantime,both the military conversion rate and the multiple exchange rate system were ceased to use.The official rate of the Japanese Yen laid the foundation for the Japanese economic recovery,and the evolvement of the Yen exchange rate occupied a significant place in the adjustment of the Far East strategy of the U.S.