701.9394/11–2946
The Political Adviser in Japan (Atcheson) to the Secretary of State
No. 731
[Received December 5.]
Sir: I have the honor to enclose48 copies of correspondence between the Chinese Mission in Japan, this Headquarters, and the Japanese Government on the subject of the arrest of former Chinese puppet diplomatic and consular officials, as follows:
- a.
- From the Chinese Mission to the Diplomatic Section (this office), June 3, 1946, requesting the arrest of twenty former Chinese puppet diplomatic and consular officials in Japan.
- b.
- From General Headquarters to Major General C. Wang, October 21, 1945, subject, “Arrest of Puppet Diplomatic and Consular Officials” in which it is stated that the Supreme Commander “will take all practicable steps to apprehend and deliver to the custody of the Government of China such persons as are charged by it with offenses” under the categories of war criminals, renegades, or quislings.
- c.
- From General Headquarters to the Japanese Government, June 22, 1946, on the subject “Apprehension of Chinese Nationals” (AG 091 (22 June 46) GB/CIS) (SCAPIN 1032).
Following the directive of June 22, 1946 to the Japanese Government, a number of corrections, additions, and deletions to the list of individuals whose arrest was desired were received from the Chinese Mission and the necessary procedure taken by this Section with other Sections of this Headquarters and the Japanese Government to comply with the requests of the Chinese Mission. As a result, thirteen Chinese and one Japanese were apprehended by the Japanese police and turned over to the Occupation authorities and placed in the status of prison, house, or hospital internment pending arrangements by the Chinese Mission for their return to China. G–2 Section of General Headquarters, as the responsible Section, upon several occasions contacted the Chinese Mission in an endeavor to have the apprehended persons taken over by Chinese authorities in order to ease the problem of custody, subsistence, and surveillance. The Chinese Mission, however, suggested that the internees remain in Japan until all persons whose apprehension was requested have been interned. It was felt that this suggestion is impractical in view of the inability of the Japanese police to locate approximately half of the requested persons.
In an endeavor to resolve the troublesome problem of maintaining the apprehended former Chinese puppet officials, this Section sent a note dated November 8, 1946 to the Chinese Mission setting forth the situation as of that date and requesting the institution without delay [Page 462] of procedure necessary to return to China the interned individuals together with their families. A copy of this note is enclosed as enclosure no. 4.
Respectively yours,
- Enclosures not printed.↩