740.00115 Pacific War/2463
The Spanish Embassy to the Department of State
Ex. 113.00 T–2
Memorandum
The Spanish Embassy presents its compliments to the Department of State and begs to transmit a memorandum received through [Page 1115] the “Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores” of Madrid, from the Japanese Government, which reads as follows:
Memorandum—June 3rd, 1944—
“According to UP and AP telegrams dispatched from Tule Lake May 25th, Soichi Okamoto (Shoiza) died at Tule Lake Segregation Center as result of being shot at by guard.
AP telegram further reported Mr. Ickes, Secretary of the Interior, asserted,
‘So far as he had been able to learn Okamoto had been unarmed and had made no threatening gesture before being shot.’
It was, however, reported by UP and AP dispatches of May 29th, that Court held act of guard had been done in performance of his duty.
Prior to occurrence of incident under review there had occurred seven cases of unlawful firing by guards of Internment Camps or Relocation Centers which came to knowledge of Japanese Government. In these cases six Japanese subjects were killed and ten wounded.
Japanese Government have lodged strong protests with United States Government against each case of unlawful firing by guards and demanded repeatedly necessary steps be taken for prevention of recurrence of such incidents and persons responsible be duly punished in order to protect lives of Japanese subjects in area under United States Administration and to remove their serious feeling of insecurity.
Despite all this it is deeply regrettable United States authorities have not been able to prevent recurrence of fresh incidents. It appears from above mentioned press reports, victims are United States citizens of Japanese lineage. Should such be case then, even in view of fact alone both Japanese subjects and United States citizens of Japanese lineage are detained together in centers, Japanese Government cannot but be most deeply concerned with matter.
Japanese Government hereby lodge most emphatic protest, calling serious attention of United States Government to answer mentioned incidents and demand necessary steps be immediately taken for prevention of recurrence of such incidents in particular prohibiting unlawful firing by guards of camps and centers.”