740.00114A Pacific War/543: Telegram
The Minister in Switzerland (Harrison) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 17—6:55 a.m.]
3593. American interests, Japan, camp visits. Legation’s 2805, May 7. Gorgé Tokyo telegraphs again intervened Japanese Foreign Office to request (1) whether Japanese Government still refused visits [Page 995] POW’s camps occupied territory.74 Remarked if all camps installed occupied territory Geneva Convention 1929 would remain dead letter under present conditions as visits to internees impossible. (2) Authorization visit camps Japan for which authorization not yet obtained. Requested indication approximate date visits, insisted military authorities establish complete schedule visits. (3) When further visits camps already visited can take place on assumption Japanese Government had no intention authorize only one visit. New dates should be sent [set?] this purpose, added Legation prepared make visits frequently as possible, anticipates at intervals 2 or 3 months. Emphasized visits great moral assistance internees long deprived all contact families and whose captivity becomes harder with prolongation.
- On June 18, the Special Division estimated the number of American nationals held by the Japanese at 32,500. Of these, 22,000 had been officially reported as prisoners of war or civilian internees. In a report of October 15, the Military Intelligence Service—X Section of the General Headquarters of the Southwest Pacific Area estimated the number of American prisoners of war held by the Japanese at 14,521.↩