Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1944, The Near East, South Asia, and Africa, The Far East, Volume V

711.94114A/32

The Minister in Switzerland (Harrison) to the Secretary of State

No. 8150

Bern, May 10, 1944.
[Received June 3.]

Sir: I have the honor to refer to the Department’s telegrams Nos. 274 and 275, both dated January 27, 1944, which set forth charges made by the United States Government against the Japanese Government with respect to the mistreatment of American nationals in Japanese hands. Reference is also made to the Legation’s telegram No. 2947 of May 10, 1944,³⁰ which reported the receipt from the Swiss Foreign Office of the Japanese Government’s reply³¹ to the Department’s telegrams under reference. Inquiry was also made in this latter whether the Department desires to have the Japanese reply transmitted by telegraph.

Inasmuch as the Swiss pouch to Lisbon carrying American interests communications closes this evening, the Legation transmits herewith, without awaiting reply to its telegram No. 2947, a copy of an annex to a note dated May 9, 1944, from the Swiss Foreign Office, which contains the above-mentioned reply from the Japanese Government.

Respectfully yours,

For the Minister:

George Tait

First Secretary

[Enclosure]

The Japanese Foreign Office to the Swiss Legation in Japan ³²

[Tokyo, April 28, 1944.]

The Japanese Government have carefully studied the communication of the United States Government transmitted under date of the 5th February by the Swiss Minister in Tokyo in charge of American interests in Japan regarding the treatment of United States citizens in areas under Japanese administration.

It is considered that the United States communication under review is, as also are their previous communications, based upon a serious misunderstanding as to the position of Japan in respect of the application of the 1929 convention relating to the treatment of prisoners of war. This point will be dealt with in the section headed I below.

The Japanese Government have taken note of the eighteen complaints enumerated in the United States communication, and have caused detailed investigations to be made into the instances given of alleged maltreatment of United States citizens. The results of these investigations are given in the section headed II below.

It is stated in the United States government’s communication that in the treatment of all Japanese subjects within areas under United States administration, the United States has consistently and fully applied the provisions of the 1929 convention relating to the treatment of prisoners of war. But according to information received from perfectly reliable sources, the United States Government are not always applying the provisions of the said convention as fully as they have expressed themselves bound to do. This is stated in detail in the section headed III below. The Japanese Government enter the most emphatic protest on this point,³³ and demand of the United States Government an immediate investigation into each instance given, the rectification of the maltreatment, and the punishment of the persons responsible or the adoption of measures for the improvement of discipline over them.

Those facts which are mentioned in the section headed IV below are based upon information from the most reliable sources. While the instances cited in this section are not specifically contemplated by the 1929 convention relating to the treatment of prisoners of war, they are not only contrary to the spirit of the convention but also are contrary to the principle of international law and to humane feeling. A protest concerning these matters³⁴ has already been lodged, but no satisfactory reply has yet been received. The Japanese Government therefore take this opportunity once again to enter an emphatic protest, and they demand that the United States Government take adequate measures to improve the state of affairs.

I. The Position of Japan in Respect to the Convention of 1929 Relating to the Treatment of Prisoners of War

As regards the treatment of prisoners of war, Japan has ratified the 1907 convention relating to the law and custom of land warfare,³⁵ and the 1929 convention for the amelioration of the condition of the wounded and sick of armies in the field, but the Japanese Government have not ratified the convention of 1929 relating to the treatment of prisoners of war. Consequently Japan is under no obligation to be bound by that convention. However, the Japanese Government have notified the United States Government of their intention on purely humanitarian grounds to apply mutatis mutandis in the present war the provisions of the 1929 convention relating to the treatment of prisoners of war to American prisoners of war within areas under Japanese administration.

As regards the treatment of civilian internees, no international agreement exists, except that an expression of desire is contained in the final protocol to the 1929 convention relating to the treatment of prisoners of war. In the present war, the Japanese Government have notified the United States Government of their intention to apply as far as possible under the condition of reciprocity the provisions of the 1929 convention relating to the treatment of prisoners of war³⁶ (provided that no labour is imposed upon the internees against their will by the country detaining them).

By the above mentioned intention of the Japanese Government to apply mutatis mutandis the provisions of the 1929 convention relating to the treatment of prisoners of war to American prisoners of war, it is meant that the provision of the convention will be applied with the modifications necessary in order to conform with the provisions of the existing laws and regulations of the country and with the requirements of the actual situation as it develops. In the same manner the provisions of that convention are also applied to American civilian internees.

In the present war in greater East Asia the field of operations extends over an expansive area including many remote, undeveloped and pestridden regions with innumerable islands scattered over the ocean, involving considerable difficulties in the way of communication and transport. The change introduced by the system of aerial fighting has also made it difficult to distinguish zones of combat from other areas. The Japanese forces, which have taken under their control an unexpectedly large number of enemy nationals in these areas far distant from Japan, are making the utmost efforts to accord them fair and just treatment. Such a situation was certainly not contemplated at the time when the 1929 Convention relating to the treatment of prisoners of war was concluded. That Convention has not been ratified by Japan because there are provisions in it which are not acceptable to this country. The Japanese Government are, however, dealing, from a humanitarian point of view, with matters relating to prisoners of war and civilian internees, on the basis of the 1907 Convention relating to the law and custom of land warfare and the 1929 Convention for the amelioration of the conditions of the wounded and sick of armies in the field, taking moreover into consideration the provisions of the 1929 Convention relating to the treatment of prisoners of war. These intentions of the Japanese Government have already been made known to the United States Government.

In these circumstances, the Japanese Government are unable to understand how the United States Government have seen fit to enumerate certain articles of the Convention and to demand their absolute application as if the Japanese Government by the above mentioned-expression of intention had admitted an obligation to observe the provision of the Convention as a party thereto.

II. Reply of the Japanese Government to the Protest of the United States Government Dated the Fifth February 1944

1) With reference to 1 and 2 of the American protest the United States Government state, whereas the Japanese Government are permitting the representatives in charge of American interests and representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross to visit prisoner of war camps, civilian internee camps and civilian centres in Japan proper, Taiwan, Chosen, China, Manchoukuo and Hongkong; the United States Government protest to the effect that the representatives of the Swiss Government in charge of American interests in Japan and in Japanese occupied territories have not been permitted to go to every place without exception where prisoners of war and civilians were interned; they have not been permitted to interview without witnesses the persons held, and have not had access to all places occupied by the prisoners.

The United States Government state that the representatives of the Swiss Government in Japan are entrusted with the protection of American interests in Japanese occupied territories, whereas, as already communicated to the United States Government through the intermediary of the Swiss Government, the policy of the Japanese Government is not to recognize representation of enemy interests in Japanese occupied territories and, therefore, is not permitting visits to the war prisoner camps and civilian internee camps in those territories. Furthermore in view of the needs of military operations, visits of the representatives of relief societies and others also are not permitted for the time being.

For interviewing prisoners of war, the presence of witnesses is required by Japanese regulations enacted in accordance with the regulations concerning the law and custom of land warfare, annexed to the Convention of 1907 ratified by Japan.

The United States Government protest to the effect that Swiss representatives at Shanghai, during their visits to the camps, were closely escorted by representatives of the Japanese Consulate General and were not able to see all parts of camps. According to the investigation, however, the Consul General of Switzerland walked at the head of the visiting party and inspected the camps freely, and though staff members of the Consulate General did accompany him they did so as a matter of courtesy.

2) With reference to 3 and 4 of the American protest the United States Government alleged that American nationals were not permitted to forward complaints to the competent Japanese authorities or to representatives of the protecting power, or that the Japanese authorities had punished or had threatened to punish those who made complaints. But, in the prisoner of war camps and civil internment camps in areas under Japanese administration, communications addressed by the prisoners of war and internees to the detaining authorities of the camps are not rejected. Communications addressed to the representatives of the protecting power are being forwarded in exactly the same way as in the case of the mail sent by the prisoners of war, although there might have been some difficulties at the time of opening the camps. Thus, the forwarding of complaints has not been prevented and in no case was a punishment inflicted merely on account of complaints. The protest of the United States Government to the effect that dental appointments at the Columbia Country Club at Shanghai were cancelled in the summer of 1943 for punishment must be due to some misunderstanding. According to investigations carried out by the Authorities of the Japanese Government there was no such incident. Neither was there a case of punishment inflicted on the internees at the civilian centre at Yangchow.

3) With reference to 5 of the American protest the United States Government state to the effect that the Japanese Government failed to furnish needed clothing to American nationals and cite the suffering of the internees at Hongkong, Kobe and in the Philippines, whereas the Japanese Government are giving specially thorough consideration to the matter and proper measures are being taken, with the view to furnishing clothing at the expense of the Japanese Government to the extent that is necessary.

As regards the difficulty of furnishing shoes to the internees at Hongkong, owing to the fact that there was no stock of boots or shoes in the city at the time they were interned, the Authorities could not avoid supplying “sandals” as substitutes and this measure was not taken expressly to cause difficulty or inconvenience in their daily life. As for the internees transferred from the island of Guam to Kobe, since they possessed no winter clothes, the Authorities concerned of the Japanese Government immediately set about procuring the material and preparing the necessary clothing for them. In the meantime, as the Swiss Consulate at Kobe was ready to offer to the internees the heavy clothing, the Japanese Authorities helped in securing the materials. The question of providing winter clothing was then satisfactorily disposed of, thanks to the efforts of the Swiss Consulate.³⁷ As regards the statement to the effect that the prisoners of war in the Philippines were forced to labour without shoes and clad only in loin clothes, exactly the same as in the case of Hongkong, when no boots or shoes are provided, their substitutes are given and clothing for use while at work is also provided. It is possible however that the prisoners in question, while at work in the tropical climate, chose to remove their clothes on account of heat.

4) With reference to 6 of the American protest the United States Government protest to the effect that the Japanese Authorities confiscated personal effects from American civilian internees and prisoners of war. According to the regulations concerning the treatment of prisoners of war in Japan, when the persons liable to treatment as prisoners of war are captured, their personal effects are examined at once; arms, munitions and any other article liable to military use are confiscated; other articles are either held in custody; (in which case a receipt for the articles issued to the owner), or handed back to the owner, allowing him to carry them. The troop concerned then must prepare an inventory of the articles confiscated or held in custody; the inventory in question must be handed over to the camp Authorities along with the articles which had been held in custody when the prisoners of war are transferred to the prisoner of war camp. The articles thus handed over must be held in custody by the Government Authorities and returned to the owners when the latter are freed. These regulations are strictly observed in Japan.

The United States Government state that at the prisoner of war camps in the Philippine islands, prisoner of war enclosures at Mariveles Bay, civilian internment camps at Baguio, Canton, Chefoo, Peking, Manila, Tsingtao, Weihsien and Yangchow, and at civilian centres of the Ash camp, Chapei camp, Lungwha camp and Pootung camp in or near Shanghai, the articles most needed by the prisoners and internees have been taken. Since the statement is mere enumeration of various camps, and centres, it was difficult to investigate the matter. According to enquiries, however, made by the Japanese Authorities, no such incident, as is complained of, occurred anywhere. At Tsingtao, neither a prisoner of war camp, nor a civil internment camp, nor a civilian centre has ever been set up. As regards the statement that the personal effects of an American prisoner of war were taken, when he was captured in the Philippine islands in April, so far no such occurrence is found by the investigation carried out by the Japanese Government.

5) With reference to 7 of the American protest the United States Government state that whereas the Japanese Government are enforcing strict regulations with a view to according fair treatment under all circumstances, American prisoners of war and civilian internees have been subjected to insults and public curiosity. The allegation is at variance with the treatment actually accorded to prisoners of war and civilian internees.

The United States Government protest by citing the case of a march through Manila city by American prisoners of war, but as a matter of fact, the latter took the road which was necessary in going to the camp. It entailed neither insult nor public curiosity. As for the statement to the effect that at Baguio, Hongkong and Tsingtao, the public was allowed to visit the internment camps and encouraged to satisfy curiosity regarding the persons held: at Tsingtao, to begin with, neither a prisoner of war camp nor a civil internment camp has been set up, as already pointed out. At all camps and centres in areas under Japanese administration, the entrance of the public (including visits and interviews) to the camps and centres is strictly under official control and no one is allowed to enter without the permission of the commander of the garrison or of the supervising Authorities. At Hongkong, permission of the Governor General is required. A foreigner wishing to enter a prisoner of war or internment camp must obtain the permission of the War Minister, or of the supervising Authorities in case of civilian internment camp. Even a soldier is not allowed to enter without due cause. Such being the case at the prisoner of war camps and civil internment camps under the supervision of the Japanese Authorities, no such incidents as are complained about by the United States Government have ever occurred.

6) With reference to 8) of the American protest the United States Government state to the effect that the Japanese Government refused to provide health sustaining food to the prisoners of war held by them or did not permit the United States to make regular shipments in a continuing basis under appropriate arrangements of supplemental food and medical supplies and, because of this, the prisoners of war are suffering from diseases resulting from malnutrition and deficiency. On the contrary, the Japanese Government are providing the prisoners of war with food, which is exactly the same as the food for their own reserve army troops in respect of both quantity and quality. Moreover, the authorities are giving specially considerate treatment to the prisoners of war, by supplying them for example with European meals and thus taking the national and racial customs of prisoners into special consideration. The conditions of health of the prisoners and the labour performed by them are watched with special care and measures which are considered best are being taken in supplying food to them.

The United States Government regard the deficiency diseases as common throughout Japanese internment camps, and comparing the health conditions of internees at Shanghai and in the Philippines, state that these diseases are relatively less common among the internees at Shanghai on account of presents sent in for them from the outside whereas deficiency diseases prevail among the majority of American prisoners of war in the Philippines. As regards the protest of the United States Government relating to the conditions in the Philippine Islands, as mentioned at length in the reply of the Japanese Government dated April 24th, 1944, sent in response to the protest of the United States Government which was forwarded by the Swiss Minister in Tokyo on December 23rd 1942,³⁸ the best efforts were made to procure and furnish food at the internment camps at Santo Tomas in the Philippines, Davao and elsewhere, despite the difficulties encountered by the Japanese army.

That the food supply of the American army was inferior and general sanitary and health conditions had already reached a precarious state at the time the Japanese army occupied the Philippine Islands is evident by the reports of enemy army records which have come into the possession of the Japanese army. The following is a résumé of the said record relating to health conditions that prevailed; conditions of illness of American soldiers in Bataan front due to malnutrition after the ration was reduced to two meals a day toward the end of January 1942.

a) Field artillery corps: Due to vitamin deficiency diseases a certain number of the soldiers has shown the symptoms of paralysis and dropsy of the legs. Their eyes and eyelids were swollen up. The soldiers began to eat covetously various wild plants; some have eaten by mistake noxious plants. Their daily ration was estimated at less than 1500 calories and the soldiers who performed heavy labour lost gradually their vitality.

b) The second field artillery regiment: Many men’s faces turned pale and haggard, suffering beriberi. Their legs were swollen up due to undernourishment.

c) The flying corps: Among the soldiers some had the legs swollen up and the haemorrhage of the gums. Generally the body weight decreased. Two-thirds of the soldiers became ill because of malnutrition. Toward the end of March some had eaten coupongnut and bataannut. Those who have eaten the first were subject to attacks of vertigo while those who have taken the latter suffered from diarrhoea. Even though they realised the dangerous consequences they have not ceased to eat them as the result of lack of provisions.

d) Field hospital: Soldiers who were admitted to the hospital were suffering from malaria or looked pale and haggard while many of them had their lower thighs swollen up due to the lack of proper nutritions.

Furthermore according to the investigation by the Japanese Authorities it was found that in the field hospital of American Army near Cap Carben there were about 6000 patients of American and Filipino soldiers on the day of their surrender. The American Army Authorities forcibly ejected from the hospital the Filipino soldiers who were dangerously wounded and seriously ill with malaria by reason of food shortage. Many Filipino soldiers suffered death soon after.

From these facts, it is clear that prior to their capitulation, the health conditions of the American Army had already reached a precarious state owing to malnutrition and general decline of health, prevalence of beriberi, malaria, etc. The situation was made worse still by the tactics adopted by the American army of burning, destroying and reducing to ashes all the food and medical supplies that had been stored. Under the war conditions at that time, the Japanese army itself was short of reserve food; the number of American prisoners of war exceeded by far the original expectation; civilian people in general were also short of food supply so that food could not be obtained from them. In these circumstances, it was inevitable that food supply for the prisoners of war captured by the Japanese army would be insufficient and medical treatment for them could hardly be as satisfactory as would be desired. In spite of all these difficulties, the Authorities of the Japanese Government did their utmost to provide for the prisoners of war. The remarkable improvement made in health conditions of the prisoners of war in the Philippine Islands thereafter is clearly traceable by the reduction of death cases among the prisoners of war during 1943. Of approximately 10,000 American prisoners of war in all of the Philippine Islands in 1943, the number of deaths was 168. In November of that year, there was only one case of death.

The United States Government compare the situation in the Philippine Islands with the health conditions of the internees at Shanghai. At Shanghai even enemy aliens are living peacefully under the protection of the Japanese Authorities, but on the other hand, in the Philippine Islands they were subject to the atrocious tactics adopted by the American army of reducing all to ashes. The Japanese Government cannot but express utter astonishment when the United States Government close their eyes to these facts and venture to censure the Japanese Government, ignoring all the efforts made by the Authorities of the Japanese Government and holding Japan responsible for all.

As regards the relief supplies mentioned in the protest of the United States Government, the Japanese Government gave permission to the International Committee of the Red Cross for the reception of the relief articles of approximately ten thousand tons forwarded by the American Red Cross Society on two occasions by the Japanese-American exchange vessels. Permission was also given for delivery of these articles to every prisoner of war camp and civil internment camp.

The difficulty of granting further permission for transportation of relief supplies by vessels of neutral powers through the maritime areas of war operation under present conditions of war has already been communicated to the United States Government.³⁹ At the same time the Japanese Government are at present seriously studying to solve the question, and the Japanese Government have not at all refused the shipment of relief supplies, as has been alleged by the American Authorities.

7) With reference to 9 of the American protest the United States Government state to the effect that the Japanese Authorities turned to improper and prohibited uses the profits from the sale of goods in camp canteens instead of devoting them to the welfare of the persons held in the camps. On the contrary the following is the actual handling of profits from the sale of goods in camp canteens according to the investigations carried out:

(a) The profits from the sale of goods in camp canteens at each prisoner of war camp are being used for the welfare of the interned prisoners of war by their representatives at each camp.

(b) At civil internment camps in Japan proper, no camp canteen has been set up, because, the number of internees being small, it is more convenient to allow them to purchase from the outside whatever they desire than to store materials in the canteens; hence no question of profits arises.

(c) The protest of the United States Government is irrelevant to the prisoner of war camp at Hongkong because there the articles sold to the war prisoners are sold at cost price and no profits accrue. According to the report of Mr. Egle representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross at Shanghai who visited the prisoner of war camp at Hongkong in July 1942, ‘conditions of living quarters, of food and clothing, camp canteen, sanitary corps, dental treatment, amusements, provisions, library, observance of religious rites, etc., have been found to be quite satisfactory. The interned prisoners expressed gratitude to the Authorities for their kind treatment’. The Japanese Government regret that the United States Government have raised a protest restoring [regarding?] the measures taken by the Japanese Authorities in favour of the prisoners interned and ignoring such facts as are mentioned above.

8) With reference to 10 and 11 of the American protest the United States Government protest to the effect that contrary to the specific undertaking of the Japanese Government, the detaining Authorities compelled civilians to perform labour other than that connected with the administration, maintenance and management of internment camps; and officers in prisoner of war camps were forced to labour, and non-commissioned officers to do other than supervisory labour. There is also a statement to the effect that prisoners of war were required to perform labour that had a direct relation with war operations. As already communicated to the Swiss Legation in Tokyo by the verbal votes of January 28 and February 4 [20],⁴⁰ 1943, regarding intentions with respect to the performance of labour by prisoners of war,⁴¹ the Japanese Government are having prisoners of war perform labour which involves no danger in industry, civil engineering, mining and transportation, they are also performing labour which has no direct relation with war operations. Civilian internees are not required to perform labour other than that connected with the administration, maintenance and management of internment camps.

As regards the incident alluded to, by the United States Government, of civilian internees forced to repair machinery without remuneration in the Philippines, no such incident occurred according to the investigation carried out by the Japanese Authorities. The information must be due to some misunderstanding. At prisoner of war camps, needless to say, no officer prisoner is forced to perform neither labour nor menial labour, since there are always soldiers on duty who perform the personal errands of the officers to whom they are detailed.

Though it is claimed that ten American engineers were required to assist in rebuilding the military installations in Corregidor island in 1942, an investigation has clearly brought out the facts that the work of cleaning away and putting in order in the locality such as Corregidor, did require the assistance of expert engineers who are familiar with the locality. It was not, however, in the least in the sense to assist in rebuilding any military installations. Their service was required in directing the work of cleaning away or putting in order damaged or destroyed buildings and roads, only to such an extent that it could be regarded as ordinary labour and this cannot be claimed to have a direct relation with war operations. It is also protested that American prisoners of war were made to work in a machine tool shop in the arsenal at Mukden, but this is due to some misinformation. The plant where prisoners of war worked was an ordinary factory with no relation whatever to the arsenal.

9) With reference to 12 of American protest the United States Govt charge that medical care has in many instances been denied to prisoners of war and civilian internees, and when given has been generally so poor as to cause unnecessary sufferings and deaths, adding that conditions of health of prisoners of war in the Philippine islands is deplorable. As has been explained above under the section six relating to rations for prisoners of war, the inadequacy of food and medical supplies for the prisoners of war captured by the Japanese forces in the Philippines was absolutely unavoidable owing largely to the action of the American forces who in pursuance of their “scorched earth” tactics had burned vital commodities, to the war situation which rendered difficult for procuring food and medical supplies even for the use for Japanese armies, and also to the unexpectedly large numbers of American soldiers surrendered which caused further drain of the provisions of [on] hand. In any case, the general state of health of these prisoners of war at the time of their capture, have been already extremely poor as shown by the reports left by American army surgeons.

The Japanese Authorities are paying proper attention to the health of all prisoners of war and taking appropriate measures including monthly health medical examinations and vaccinations and preventive injections, and recesses for those engaged in labor. As regards food, the daily rations provided war prisoners by the Authorities concerned are being criticized as being far too good both in quality and quantity as compared with the food generally available. In the Philippines, epidemic squads were organized in 1942, to which was assigned the task of preventing contagious diseases, resulting in a notable improvement in the general conditions of health among the prisoners and in the reduction of deaths as is pointed out under the above mentioned paragraph 6). All these are entirely due to the devoted services of the medical corps of the Japanese armies. The American Government charge that certain internees in the civilian camps at Shanghai and in Japan proper were made to pay for their own medical care and hospital expenses. At all the internment camps the Authorities have taken measures for proper medical care, and for hospitalization free of charge. However, in case any internee requests for a physician and hospital of his own choice, the request is granted on the condition he pays the costs on his own account. Accordingly, it is quite proper that those at Shanghai and in Japan proper, who chose their own hospitals and doctors, should have paid the costs on their own accounts.

10) With reference to 13 of the American protest the United States Government state that the Japanese Government have reported names of only a part of the American prisoners of war and civilian internees and of the American combatants found dead by Japanese forces. Immediately upon the outbreak of the war of greater East Asia the Japanese Government established the War Prisoners Information Bureau, to which has been assigned the task of exchanging information regarding prisoners of war, conducting investigations, compiling individual cards, and transmitting names. The Japanese Government are attaching great importance to the reporting of the names of the war prisoners and internees in their hands, and have been exerting special efforts in that direction. As fast as individual cards are filed, the names entered thereon are being cabled regardless of nationality to the Central Agency of the War Prisoners Informations at Geneva. By the end of March 1944, the number of the names so reported exceeded at 145000, including more than 25660 of American nationality. Further reports will continue to be made hereafter.

11) With reference to 14 of the American protest, the United States Government charge that the Japanese Government have not permitted internees and prisoners of war freely to exercise their religion. Religious freedom is recognised by the Japanese Government at all the war prisoner camps and internment camps. While it may be true that at some camps during first few weeks the incompletion of the necessary facilities, the absence of ministers or priests and other circumstances rendered it difficult to hold religious exercises, the Japanese Authorities nowhere ever prevented intentionally the free exercise of religion by prisoners of war and internees. In fact, they are being afforded special facilities in this respect, as for instance, in the Tokyo war prisoner camp and internment camp where wine and bread for holy communion are allowed to be sent in and priests from outside are admitted in compliance with the request of the Vatican Delegate, for administering the last rites to those of the Roman Catholic faith. In the Philippines, the Japanese camp Authorities are according the inmates such treatment as is suitable to their habits and manners beside respecting their persons and recognizing their complete religious freedom. Those instances alleged by the American Government to have taken place at Camp John Hay and in French Indochina appear to be based upon erroneous reports.

12) With reference to 15 of the American protest the United States Government protest against the non-posting of an English text of the Geneva Convention at the camps. The Japanese Government, as they are not applying the 1929 Convention exactly as it stands, have not posted the text of the said convention. But they will be prepared to post the rules and regulations concerning the treatment of war prisoners which they have promulgated in accordance with the 1907 Convention relating to law and customs of land warfare at all the camps for war prisoners and for civilian internees.

13) With reference to 16 of the American protest the United States Government allege that Japanese Government have failed to provide adequate equipment and accommodations in prisoner of war and internment camps, and transports and forced them to subsist in inhuman conditions. The allegation is utterly unfounded.

It is the policy of the Japanese Government to provide prisoners of war with such shelter as will ensure health and sanitation as far as possible. American prisoners of war are being housed in buildings free from damp, properly lighted and heated, with sleeping quarters which are in respect of space, ventilation and other accommodations, entirely the same as those for Japanese army. The report by the representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross who have inspected these places, points out that these American prisoners of war are being placed in proper buildings fully adequate for the purposes of health preservation.

The American note cites instances in the Philippine Islands. The conditions in the Philippines during the early days of Japanese occupation have already been described under 6) and 9). According to the investigations conducted by the Japanese Government into the matter of transportation of prisoners of war, all the American war prisoners, about 200 in number, who were captured in the vicinity of Limay during the days, May 10th–20th 1942, were, after being given food, transported in automobiles and under the supervision of Japanese officers to the temporary prisoners of war camp. Again some two hundred Americans, who surrendered during May 12th-20th, in the same year, were all sent to the temporary camp at Jalanga in motor trucks for munitions after they had been duly provided with food. American civilian internees in internment camps at Baguio and elsewhere in the islands are all grateful to the treatment accorded by the Japanese authorities.

As regards the alleged confiscation by Japanese guards at Weihsien internment camp of the refrigerators belonging to American internees, the fact of the case as have been brought to light as the result of official investigation is merely that the household refrigerators some internees brought with them were used for the benefit of the entire camp

14) With reference to 17 of the American protest, the United States Government protest against the non-application by the Japanese Government of the provisions of the 1929 Geneva Convention with regard to trial and punishment of prisoners of war. The views of the Japanese Government relating to the punishment of war prisoners have been communicated and fully explained in their notes of February 17th,⁴² and of March 3rd, 1943,⁴³ addressed to the Swiss Minister in Tokyo.

15) With reference to 18 of the American protest, the American note charges the Japanese Authorities with inflicting corporal punishment and torture upon American nationals, citing a number of instances alleged to have occurred in the Philippines. As has been repeatedly stated, it is the policy of the Japanese Government to accord a fair and equitable treatment to all prisoners of war, and in pursuance of that policy the Japanese Authorities concerned are devoting their best efforts to the handling of the war prisoners, and paying the most careful attention to every detail so as to ensure the disposition of all matters under strict military discipline.

The instances cited in the American note all go back to the early days of Japanese occupation of the Philippines. The investigations which have been conducted under difficult circumstances owing to the lapse of time since the alleged events occurred, have not so far brought out any result which substantiate those allegations.

III. Protest of the Japanese Government against cases of illtreatment by the American Authorities of Japanese held by the Authorities of the United States Government

(1) The United States Government stated that when the representatives of the protecting powers for Japanese interests in the United States visited the internment camps and relocation centers where Japanese nationals were held, the representatives have spoken at length without witnesses with the Japanese internees and evacuees and fully inspected the places; but such was not the case. At a large number of internment camps and relocation centers the interview of the representatives of protecting powers for Japanese interests took place in presence of camp Authorities and officials of the State Department, etc., and the representatives were able to inspect only such places as would raise no question and could not visit all parts of the camp. When visiting the internment camp at Sand Island in Hawaii, for instance, the representatives were generally not allowed to converse with the internees at all, but could only interview their representatives. Moreover, the said interview took place in the presence of the Authorities of the internment camp, the Army Authorities, etc., and the questions raised by the internees were severely restricted.

(2) The Authorities of the United States have not improved the treatment despite the fact that complaints have been made by Japanese internees and have not permitted to forward their complaints when they wished to appeal to the representatives of the Protecting Powers. There are numerous instances of punishment, or threats thereof, inflicted on those who have complained.

At the temporary camp at Ellis Island, the person who made complaints concerning food on behalf of all inmates was punished being designated as “detainee for the duration of war” and he was sent subsequently to Fort Missoula. In July 1942, when the Japanese internees at the Lordsburg internment camp had their delegates complain about labour, other than that connected with the internment camp, which they had been forced to perform, the delegates were either placed under confinement or forbidden thereafter to leave the building of the internment camp. And not only that, they were forbidden to buy things at the camp canteen. The Authorities of the Livingston internment camp decreased the amount of food of those who raised complaints about labour. At the Fort Missoula internment camp also the Authorities placed under confinement those who made complaints.

(3) As regards the supply of clothing, the Authorities of the United States did not supply enough winter clothing to the Japanese nationals transferred from Hawaii to the snow covered McCoy internment camp, and thereby exposed the interned Japanese to the severe cold.

(4) The United States Authorities confiscated from every internee Japanese books, printed matter, metals (including camera, fountain pens, cigarette lighter, watches, cuffbuttons, badges, travelling knife and fork, coins, etc.), rubber wares (including the eraser attached to pencils), diapers for infants, drugs, canned food (including vegetables in tin boxes intended for children and canned milk for feeding infants) etc.

In confiscating personal effects, strict inspection was enforced. For instance, at the temporary camp at Ellis Island, for a period of three days from June 7, 1942, the officials of Federal Bureau of Investigation and Customs officers inspected the personal effects of the passengers of the exchange vessel without the least concern about the damage caused thereby, thus forcibly opening watches and damaging them; cutting the lapel of coats and undoing the seams; cutting or tearing belts etc. Not only they completely undressed the repatriates but also carried on a thorough search even inside their hair. Adhesive plaster applied to cuts or wounds were ripped off. Women also were subjected to severe physical examination, and confiscation was carried out but not on a few occasions no receipt was issued for articles confiscated.

(5) The Japanese civilian internees and evacuees have been subjected to insults and public curiosity.

Immediately after the outbreak of war, one of approximately two hundred Japanese interned at Sand Island having happened to carry a small knife made by himself, the authorities of the camp made a thorough search of all the internees. In carrying out the search, the Japanese were lined up and left stark naked for two whole hours.

The wife (of British extraction) of Mr. Taoka, manager of San Francisco branch of the Nippon Yusen Kaisha and their daughter were forced to remove all their clothes and were examined at the temporary camp at Ellis Island in 1943.

A staff member of the Japanese Consulate at Los Angeles, while being transferred from Fort Missoula to White Sulphur Springs in April 1942, was forced to ride an ordinary coach despite the fact that he was suffering from illness and moreover, was handcuffed by the Immigration officer who accompanied him, and chained to the bed even while sleeping and thus was treated like a criminal before the eyes of other passengers.

(6) Japanese nationals interned in the United States are not often receiving food either in quality or quantity necessary for the maintenance of health.

The food for the internees at the Fort Missoula internment camp was being provided at 30 cents per head per day. At the Kennedy internment camp, food was to be provided at 51 cents per head per day, but the Authorities of the said camp, as the director of the camp admitted, kept back 10 cents and food was actually provided at 41 cents. The Japanese residing in Virginia were imprisoned, when the war broke out, in a negro prison and were subjected to the same treatment as negro prisoners in respect of food and other matters. Not only was contact with the outside forbidden, but nothing was permitted to be sent in from the outside. At the Fort Missoula internment camp, the Authorities refused to transmit to the internees the drugs sent in by their families, with the excuse of prevention of the use of poison, and the result was that those suffering from chronic illness had difficulty in recovery. Japanese nationals interned at the internment camps at Uption, Ellis Island, Livingston, and Sand Island suffered from weakening eyesight, their weight decreased, and the number of people requiring eye glasses increased on account of malnutrition.

(7) At the Livingston internment camp, a large portion of the profits made by sales at the canteen was spent for purchasing second hand car for the use of the officers guarding the camp and also for repainting it.

(8) The Japanese interned at the internment camps in the United States have been forced to perform labour other than that connected with the administration, management and maintenance of the camps.

At the Lordsburg internment camp, the United States Authorities forced Japanese nationals to engage in the transport of gravel and road repairing outside the camp, transport of empty cans and scrap iron to the railway station, cleaning of toilets in the guards barracks and in the recreation hall. One of the soldiers forced the Japanese to perform labour under the blazing sun at the point of the gun, threatening to kill if they dared to take a rest.

At the Livingston internment camp, the Japanese were forced to cut grass outside the camp and also to engage in the work of leveling the ground adjacent to the camp for the construction of an aviation field. At Fort Missoula, the Authorities, claiming that the Japanese were duty bound to work without compensation, obliged the Japanese to engage in lanudry work for approximately one thousand persons interned in the camp including Italians. Furthermore, they obliged the Japanese to clear the stable of the camp Authorities and to engage in the construction of a Japanese garden and swimming pool for Americans not connected with the camp, threatening the Japanese internees that disagreeable consequences would ensue if they should refuse to work.

The Authorities of the Santa Fe internment camp forced the Japanese over their protest to engage in building work that had been delayed on account of a strike.

The Japanese internees at Sand Island were forced to engage without compensation in the work of putting up tents for the interned Germans and Italians, building fences, planting vegetables and performing laundry work for American officers and men.

The Japanese who were handed over to the United States army by the Authorities of Panama at the outbreak of the war were subjected to cruel treatment, being obliged to perform the work of transporting square timber, sharpening and repairing saws, digging holes in the ground for water closets, mixing gravel with cement and so forth. The internment Authorities let the Japanese dig a hole and then fill it again immediately, or let them load a truck with mud with their bare hands using no tools. Neither drinking water nor any rest was allowed. The Japanese who were exhausted and worn were beaten or kicked and all this lasted over a month.

(9) The United States Authorities subjected the interned Japanese to engage in work directly connected with war operations.

The Authorities of the Livingston internment camp subjected the Japanese to the work of removing stumps in the military aviation field, infested with poisonous snakes adjacent to the United States military barracks.

The Authorities of the Lordsburg internment camp forced the Japanese to engage in the digging of the trenches and transport of the cases containing rifles and cannon shells. In May 1942 the director of the Manzanar relocation center put the Japanese to the work of manufacturing camouflage nets for military use and threatened them with decreased food allowances or worse of [sic] treatment in the event that production is not increased.

At the Sand Island internment camp, the Japanese were forced to engage in the dangerous work of digging out from the ground unexploded shells of anti-aircraft guns beside digging trenches. In enforcing the performance of the dangerous work, the United States Authorities took no proper measures to forestall possible injury or to minimize the risk.

(10) The United States Authorities have provided no medical treatment to the interned Japanese. Not only are the medical provisions at the internment camps and relocation centers generally imperfect, but the medical staff and pharmaceutical provisions are so defective and deficient that they have caused unnecessary suffering to the patients and have even resulted in deaths as a consequence.

The United States Authorities permitted Sasaichi Kato in Los Angeles who had received an injury in his right eye no time for treatment. They interned him first at Tuhunga, transferring him next to the internment camp at Santa Fe but not allowing him to receive treatment in the meantime, with the result that the man eventually lost his eyesight completely.

One Ouchi was gravely ill when he was handed over to the American Authorities in Panama, but the Authorities gave him neither medical treatment, nor liquid nourishment which was all he could take. His wife requested that he be taken into Panama hospital but the request was not heeded, and he was sent on to Fort Sill in April 1942 together with other Japanese internees. As no nurse was provided at the new camp, his fellow internees looked after him, but no medical treatment having been given, he finally died on May 1st.

(11) The United States Government have sent neither a list of names nor any detailed official communication concerning the interned Japanese who have been shot to death or died of accidents: nor have they forwarded any precise and complete list regarding all of the interned Japanese. Whereas the total number of evacuees held at relocation centers in the United States amounts to approximately one hundred thousand, the names communicated only recently to Japan are no more than six thousand.

(12) As regards free exercise of religious rites, in July 1942, while Japanese nationals interned at the Lordsburg internment camp were observing ceremonial rites in the dining hall, several guards with bayonets in their hands broke into the hall before the ceremony was over and drove out all the participants.

(13) At the internment camps in the United States, neither the text, nor Japanese translation, of the international convention of 1929 relative to the treatment of prisoners of war is posted. In spite of repeated requests of the interned Japanese to the holding Authorities for access to the text of the convention, they were not able to receive the text for a period of from half a year to a whole year after their internment.

(14) At the internment camps, temporary camps, and relocation centers, and for transport facilities, etc. in the United States, there is no adequate equipment or accommodation and the Japanese have been subjected to inhuman treatment. At the detention place of University Station in Los Angeles, thirteen Japanese were jammed into a room which could admit only two persons. Only prisoners clothes could be had and they spent a whole day and night there without bedding and without food. The Japanese in that city were interned in the Lincoln Heights jail and were left there under confinement in cells for a period of two weeks.

At the internment camp at Sand Island, meals were always served outdoors on the lawn regardless of weather, rain or shine, but the internees on being transferred thence to the American mainland were herded into the bottom of the boat which was severely guarded with iron nets on all sides and locked. No water was given even for washing one’s face. The Japanese who were transported from Panama to the United States were also jammed in the bottom of the boat filled with offensive smells. The women’s toilets at the Manzanar relocation center were so imperfectly constructed having no partitions between one toilet and another. The American Catholic nuns who visited the camp noticed this and protested.

(15) The Authorities of the United States maltreated Japanese nationals and inflicted punishment on them without trial in contravention of the principles of humanity.

a) At the internment camp at Fort George Meade, Japanese nationals were forced en masse to salute the American flag day after day, but in March 1943, one Adachi was placed in solitary confinement on the charge that he failed to attend the saluting ceremony and was given only water and bread for three days and nights. In May 1942, a guard at Fort Sill, seeing Kenzaburo Oshima who had become insane as a result of insomnia, approaching the barbed wire fence, was on the point of firing at the man, when a Japanese who saw this cried out: “Don’t fire! he is insane.” Despite this warning, the guard shot Oshima to death. In April 1943 at the Topaz relocation center, one Wakasa was shot to death on pretext of not responding to the guard questioning him.

In July 1942, Shiro Obata (53 years), a patient of pulmonary tuberculosis and Hirota Isomura (56 years) suffering from spinal disease while being transferred from the Bismarck internment camp to Lordsburg camp with other internees, parted company from the group on account of their illness and inability to walk and where [were] later shot to death by the guards who had escorted them, on the pretext that they had attempted escape. An American soldier who had witnessed the incident and rejoined the company immediately afterwards remarked to the Japanese internees: “Had I been the guard escorting the two men, I would not have shot them to death”.

A Japanese in Los Angeles who had received an operation for cancer in the stomach and was still in such a condition that excretion had to be effected by means of a rubber tube run into the abdomen was interned by the United States Authorities who permitted him no opportunity for receiving treatment with the result that the man finally died.

Shigeichi Hazama had received an operation for cancer in the rectum and was in a grave condition but he was transported from his bed to Fort Missoula for internment. During the train trip of three days and nights, the man was treated indiscriminately like an ordinary healthy person and as a result finally died.

One Nakamura was assaulted by policeman at a police station in Los Angeles and several of his front teeth were broken. He was subsequently interned in the internment camp at Fort Missoula. The Authorities of the camp attempted to force the man to sign a document stating that the assault was the result of his own fault, but when he declined to write his signature, he was again assaulted and then placed under confinement.

At the internment camp at Fort Lincoln likewise, a Japanese was beaten and kicked by the inspecting officer and two of his front teeth were broken. Many similar incidents occurred at other internment camps in the United States.

b) In the Philippine islands,⁴⁴ the United States Authorities resorted to extreme violence and maltreated all Japanese nationals as described below: in Manila, at the outbreak of the war, the United States Authorities carried out a wholesale arrest of Japanese nationals, broke into their private residences and shops and plundered money and various other articles. Arrests were made indiscriminately irrespective of whether the person was old, young or invalid. People were all bound with rope and taken to places for internment. Countless numbers of persons were beaten and kicked. Those who were arrested at other than their own homes were prevented from having sent from their homes daily necessaries, much less changes of clothing. The internment quarters consisted of only three rooms of approximately each four hundred square metres and no less than three thousand five hundred persons were confined therein. The rooms were not only overcrowded, but there were neither chairs to sit on nor bedding to sleep in, the internees sleeping on the bare floor. Neither food nor even a drop of water was provided for them. Later they were transferred to houses provided by Japanese Commercial Establishments for their employees, but congestion was by no means eased. Finally provisions were brought from Japanese owned warehouses and consumed. Of these internees 270 people were interned in the Montenluba prison. For two whole days, these people were subjected, at the point of machine guns to the meaningless labour of digging holes in the ground and then filling them up again and of carrying water up steep hills after having wilfully stopped the iced water supply. Any one daring to take a rest was struck on the head with oak clubs. The same people were forced to clean the kitchen and toilet of the guards office and to repair the road outside the prison compounds. For nearly a fortnight, no vegetables were supplied, and though thereby cases of sickness occurred no medicine was to be had. Neither treatment by one of the interned Japanese doctors, nor by hospital physicians was permitted and finally death ensued.

On the night of December 23rd, 1941, as the electric wire in front of the Japanese Consul General’s official residence in Manila caught fire, the American forces watching the area commenced to fire at the house, claiming that it was the work of the staff members of the Consulate General. They were obliged to escape from the danger.

The Japanese residing at Davao, numbering eighteen thousand were placed under confinement en masse at the outbreak of the war and subjected to excessive labour by the American military forces, digging air-raid shelters and trenches day in and day out. The accommodation at the internment camp was totally inadequate. Particularly lacking in facilities was the central primary school where one thousand two hundred Japanese were interned in the outdoor playground. There they were left in mud and were under a heavy downpour of rain for four long days. During these four days, no food was given during the first two days. From the third day, a handful of uncooked rice and a meager amount of salt were handed out as the day’s ration but the recipients had to pay for all they received. The camp was surrounded with iron fences and machine-guns. The latter were manipulated to intimidate the internees and in the course of their intimidating manipulation, no less than three Japanese were shot to death. Of the two thousand four hundred Japanese women interned in the Japanese primary school, a large number suffered outrageous acts and violence perpetrated by the American soldiers. On December 20th, American soldiers commanded by American officers bound up ten Japanese nationals who had been interned at the Davao internment camp, poured boiling water on the victims, cut their ears off, gouged out their eyeballs, sliced off the tips of their noses, amputated their arms, mutilated their legs and escaped after committing this orgy of inhuman savagery. The number of Japanese victims tortured and shot to death by the American soldiers during the period of internment rose to as many as fifty six.

[IV.] The unjust actions taken by the American Government toward Japanese subjects

(1) Unjust action toward Japanese nationals in internment camps and relocation centers.

(a) the American Government forced the hundred thousand Japanese subjects and American citizens of Japanese origin to move into the interior from the Pacific coast States upon an extremely short notice, causing them thereby to lose at one stroke livelihood, property and positions they had won through years of labour, and to suffer immense losses. More recently it is reported that the American military authorities have been empowered to remove Japanese nationals to the interior 300 miles from the Atlantic coast, and that already Japanese residents of Virginia have been ordered to move to Philadelphia, so that these Japanese are also faced with the same fate as those on the Pacific coast. The Japanese Government protest to the American Government against these unjust actions, and at the same time reserve all their rights to make such demands as they may see fit to make upon the American Government.

(b) since February 1943, the American Authorities subjected Japanese nationals in the various relocation centers to inhuman questionings asking them whether or not they would renounce their allegiance to Japan, or they would take part in the American national defense in case the United States was attacked by an external enemy. Moreover, the American Authorities intimidated the Japanese nationals, threatening that those professing allegiance to Japan or desiring to return to Japan would be considered as being disloyal to America and as such they would be segregated, as a measure of punishment, in the special relocation center at Tule Lake where they would be given a treatment worse than at other centers. Moreover, armed soldiers intervened in connection with declarations of Japanese evacuees whether they would swear allegiance to the United States. Thus, the American Authorities exerted undue pressure upon Japanese nationals in their expression of conscience, and likewise in their free choice of the decision as to their repatriation under the exchange agreement. At Tule Lake where those “disloyal to America” had been segregated a disturbance broke out owing to negligence on the part of the American Authorities, in regard to provision for evacuees whereupon the American Authorities used tanks and machine-guns to intimidate the evacuees. According to later reports, it still appears to be the intention of the American Authorities to cause Japanese subjects to renounce their allegiance to their home country. The Japanese Government solemnly request the American Government to cease such inhuman actions and to make no discriminations in treatment on account of the attitude of the evacuees regarding the questions of conscience.

(c) the internment camps and relocation centers in the United States are surrounded with barbed wire fences, equipped with watch towers, and posted with armed soldiers, which is not the case with those maintained by the Japanese Government. The above-mentioned American guard system is a source of considerable apprehension and alarm to the Japanese internees and evacuees. In fact, as stated under III in the present note, there have been victims of illegal shooting by these soldier guards namely, two at Lordsburg, two at Fort Sill and one at Topaz. Unfortunately, such incidents continue to occur despite the repeated protests by the Japanese Government. On December 1, 1943, one evacuee at Gila River relocation center, was shot and wounded, and at the same place and during the same month three more men were fired at. According to certain information, the Japanese Government understand that there is no basis in the American law for the posting, as it is actually done, of armed guards at relocation centers and the firing at internees or evacuees. Moreover, those Japanese inmates had not been warned of the risk of being fired at in going near the barbed wire fence. And in all cases, there was no evidence to prove that any of the victims had intended to escape, and the firing by the soldier guards was clearly illegal. Nevertheless, they have been all unpunished. The Japanese Government demand that the American Government properly punish the culprits, and take such measures as will remove the apprehensions on the part of the Japanese nationals in internment camps and relocation centers and ensure the safety of their lives, and thereby forestall the reoccurrence of similar incidents. Furthermore, the Japanese Government reserve all their rights to make such demands as they may see fit to make regarding each of the above mentioned cases.

(2) Unjust treatment of Japanese subjects in Central and South Americas.

The American Government exerted pressure on the Government of Panama and caused to [be] sent to America all the Japanese nationals residing in the republic, and moreover these Japanese are being mistreated by American Authorities, as has already been stated. The Peruvian Government also at the instigation of the American Government resorted to the inhuman act of removing to America some 1000 Japanese nationals engaged in peaceful pursuits in Peru, and causing them to lose their property and to break up their families. As a matter of fact, the Peruvian Authorities let it be known that the initiative for the measure was taken by the American Government. Accordingly, the Japanese Government has protested against the inhuman action of the American Government.⁴⁵ Nevertheless, in view of the fact that the deportation of Japanese nationals from Peru to the United States is still being continued, the Japanese Government are constrained to demand the immediate suspension of such action even from the humanitarian point of view.

30. Not printed.
31. The enclosure herewith.
32. A virtually identical version of the Japanese message was transmitted to the Department by the Spanish Embassy in its Memorandum No. J–96, Ex. 119.01, May 11 (not printed).
33. For correspondence on protests by Japan regarding the treatment of Japanese nationals by the United States, see pp. 1099 ff.
34. See Memorandum No. 61, Ex. 119.01, March 13, from the Spanish Embassy, p. 1104.
35. Signed at The Hague, October 18, 1907, Foreign Relations, 1907, pt. 2, p. 1204.
36. For the Japanese Government’s notification of intention to apply the provisions of the Convention to civilian internees, see telegram 733, February 24, 1942, from Bern, ibid., 1942, vol. i, p. 799.
37. In airgram 263, May 16, 5 p.m., the Minister in Switzerland reported the view of the Swiss Legation in Japan that this passage was “based on misunderstanding because Swiss Consulate, Kobe, furnished this clothing only because competent authorities did not do so notwithstanding numerous Swiss representations.” (740.00115A Pacific War/1176)
38. The protest was embodied in telegram 2814, December 12, 1942, to Bern, Foreign Relations, 1942, vol. i, p. 832. The Japanese reply was transmitted in despatch 8171, May 15, 1944, from Bern, post, p. 966.
39. See telegram 4186, September 13, 1942, from Bern, Foreign Relations, 1942, vol. i, p. 818.
40. Correction based on telegram 3201, May 19, from Bern, not printed.
41. Substance of the notes of January 28 and February 20 was transmitted to the Department in telegrams 905, February 9, and 1383, February 27, 1943, from Bern. The former is printed in Foreign Relations, 1943, vol. iii, p. 961; the latter is summarized in footnote 5, ibid., p. 961.
42. See telegram 1240, February 23, 1943, from Bern, Foreign Relations, 1943, vol. iii, p. 965.
43. Reference is possibly to information in telegram 1904, March 24, 1943, from Bern, ibid., p. 975.
44. For correspondence on Japanese allegations of massacre of Japanese residents of Mindanao, see Foreign Relations, 1942, vol. i, pp. 855 ff.
45. In memorandum No. 41, Ex. 119.01, February 10, 1943, the Spanish Embassy transmitted a Japanese demand for an explanation as to the right of the United States Government to transfer to the United States and detain Japanese nationals deported by the Peruvian Government; the Department’s reply of February 25, 1943, stated that the United States Government had received from the Peruvian Government certain Japanese nationals whom the Peruvian Government desired to make available for repatriation. (740.00115 Pacific War/1430) In memorandum No. 73, Ex. 119.01, April 6, 1943, the Spanish Embassy transmitted a protest by the Japanese Government in which the reply of the United States Government was declared “unsatisfactory”; the protest stated that the Japanese Government had never designated for repatriation Japanese permanent residents of Peru, that their transfer to the United States “on the pretext” of making them the object of exchange without the prior consent of the Japanese Government was unjustifiable, and that the abandoning in Peru of the families of the deportees without resources “can only be termed inhuman act on the part of the American Government.” (740.00115 Pacific War/1549) The Department’s reply of April 19, 1943, stated the intention of the United States Government “at the earliest practicable opportunity” to bring to the United States the Japanese-wives and children of the deportees and reiterated that the bringing of deportees to the United States was “the wish of the Peruvian Government … a wish with which the United States Government was in concurrence.” (740.00115 Pacific War/1549) A Japanese objection to the transfer of Japanese nationals in Bolivia to the United States was communicated by the Spanish Embassy in its memorandum No. 133, Ex. 119.01, of May 31, 1944; the Department’s reply of June 7, 1944, stated that the transfer had been effected in accordance with hemispheric security considerations set forth in a resolution acccepted by the American Republics and that, for the most part, Japanese nationals had been nominated by local authorities and their cases “had not previously come to the attention of the United States Government.” (740.00115 Pacific War/2470)