"The ultimate objectives of the United States in regard to Japan, to which policies in the initial period must conform, are: The document also set four main policies to be pursued: The document stipulated the occupation was to last until these objectives were to be met, without specifying time limit.
Practical control was vested in the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers (SCAP), appointed by the United States, a post given to General Douglas MacArthur.
The document did not require any policy on these issues, but called upon SCAP to encourage the Japanese government to take steps on these matters.
This non-committal attitude on free elections and corporate control derived from the view of Japanese society as over conservative and not very susceptible to change.
Initial Post-Surrender Policy for Japan became an official legal document for the conduct of Japanese affairs during the occupation.