701.0090/1627a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Switzerland (Harrison)
1311. American interests—Far East—repatriation. Department is ready to deliver to Spanish Embassy in charge of Japanese interests list of Japanese nationals for embarkation in second exchange compiled in accordance with recently expressed wishes of Japanese Government as understood here. Final compilation of list is being delayed only by non-receipt so far of names of 70 additional Japanese from United States whom Japanese Government states it particularly desires included in second exchange.
Department desires to receive as soon as possible definitive list of Americans to be embarked from Far East. List should be compiled according to principles already set forth in Department’s 665 of March 13, 1942,31 paragraph 4, and in telegrams subsequently exchanged in reference thereto, particularly Department’s 2117 of September 7 and your 4735 of October 20.32
In selecting passengers in category “A” (Department’s 665) that is, persons arrested or interned, Department desires for humanitarian reasons that those in close arrest and women and children including males up to 21 years be given preference. However, as previously indicated, any women and children declining to return without husband and/or father should take status of such husband or father and [Page 879] await his turn. In addition to those actually held in camps Department considers as constructively interned and thus eligible for inclusion in category “A” persons whose citizenship has been verified of the categories covered by lists A, D, E, F and G of your 3116 of May 21.33
After giving preference to those in close arrest and to women and children who are interned or constructively interned as explained above, any remaining space should be allotted to seriously ill men and thereafter to interned or constructively interned men with preference being given, other things being equal, to married men of the category mentioned in your 4735.34
Existing instructions concerning alien relatives and other mixed status cases are confirmed.
Department hopes that names of 70 additional Japanese nationals desired from United States will be received in time to locate them for sailing of Gripsholm about July 15 in which case it should be possible for the exchange to take place at Goa not later than August 30.
It is Department’s hope that negotiations for further exchanges will be successful and that all Americans desiring to return who cannot be brought out on the present exchange will be repatriated in the near future.
- Foreign Relations, 1942, vol. i, p. 404.↩
- Neither printed.↩
- Telegram not printed; it listed 202 Americans free at Shanghai on May 15. Lists A, D, E, F and G covered, respectively, sick men and family members; employees obliged to work for Japanese-controlled businesses and their families; those free for special reasons, probably because they were working in the interests of Japan; a minor residing with a neutral family; and members of the American Association (390.1115/7458).↩
- Dated October 20, 1942, not printed; it listed 149 American citizens in occupied China separated from their families for a long time (390.1115/5501).↩