740.00115A PW/12–2744: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Switzerland (Huddle)
4369. American Interests—Far East. Request that Swiss Government inform Japanese Government that United States Government has noted on various occasions attitude of Japanese Government toward protection or assistance to be extended to persons of Philippine ancestry who feel that they owe allegiance to United States Government and on that account seek protection and assistance.
So far as the United States Government can determine, policy of Japanese Government is formulated without reference to legal right of individuals to claim allegiance to state of which they are nationals and of state to recognize that allegiance by extending its protection. United States Government wishes to point out that it has recognized Japanese nationality of Soon Ye Kim, a person of Korean ancestry who was repatriated on the Gripsholm in 1943; of Saburo Henry Mittwer, a person of American ancestry; and of Vincente Diaz, otherwise known as Jose Ingullardo, and Komakichi Okomoto, a person [Page 1081] of Philippine ancestry. Likewise there has been no objection to the action of Quincy Flavius Cook, a person of American ancestry who claims Japanese nationality. If other individuals of Korean, Philippine, American or other non-Japanese ancestry should wish to assert a claim to Japanese nationality and to be extended corresponding treatment, the United States Government would not interpose objection on grounds of their ancestry. The United States Government expects that the Japanese Government will be reciprocally guided in such matters. It is noted that in the first exchange the Japanese Government appeared to recognize this principle and that it permitted the repatriation of certain American citizens of Japanese ancestry.48
- For correspondence on the exchange agreement between the United States and Japan in 1942, see Foreign Relations, 1942, vol. i, pp. 377 ff.↩