John K. Fairbank, professor of History, returned from California yesterday after his planned trip to Japan had been indefinitely cancelled by the Department of the Army last month.

He said that the University had postponed his leave of absence and that he expected to teach until the Army decides whether or not to allow him entry.

Fairbank procured the leave of absence in order to do research in a Japanese university for one year under a Guggenheim fellowship. He and his family were ready to sail from California when the Army banned the trip on August 17. On request from Fairbank, it is now reviewing the case. The professor said he had no idea of when they would reach a decision.

Formal Denial

He has formally denied charges, brought against him by ex-Communists Elizabeth Bentley and Louis Budenz, that he ever belonged to the Communist party, helped them, or sympathized with them in any way.

Testifying before the Un-American Activities Committee, Budenz said last August that Fairbank had been referred to as a Communist in the party reports. Miss Bentley charged he had smuggled a letter from China to a spy ring here.

Immediately after his permit to enter Japan was denied, Fairbank voluntarily filed non-Communist affidavits with General Marshall, Secretary of State Acheson, and Senator McCarran (D.-Nev), who is in charge of the Senate Sub-Committee on Subversive Activities.

He said the problem was that there "doesn't seem to be any agency which can clear up my security." He added that loyalty procedures are available for suspected government employees, but there is still no method to either "clear or condemn" private citizens.

Fairbank wrote to Senator Saltonstall (R-Mass.) asking for a full F.B.I. investigation of his status.