740.00116 Pacific War/16
The Swiss Legation to the Department of State
The Legation of Switzerland, in charge of the Japanese interests in the Philippines and in Samoa, has the honor to refer to its note of December 29, 1941, transmitting a Japanese protest, and to submit herewith to the Department of State the following details which the Japanese Government has furnished in the meantime concerning the assassination of ten Japanese residents of the Province of Mindanao: [Page 856]
- First: The ten Japanese nationals assassinated were working in temporary kitchen quarters for Japanese. Five-hundred-fifty Philippine soldiers, who were living in the same place since a few days, assassinated on December 26th, day of the landing of Japanese troops, the ten Japanese mentioned above before they had time to flee.
- Second: The second incident could be explained as follows: The same day twenty-two other Japanese were killed by machine gun without reason by Philippine soldiers.
The Japanese Government estimates that in both instances the American military authorities in the Philippines are responsible for these murders.
The Legation would appreciate it if the Department of State would kindly acknowledge the receipt of this communication.