The Minister of Sweden in charge of the Japanese interests in the
Territory of Hawaii presents his compliments to the Honorable, the
Secretary of State, and has the honor to forward, herewith, copy of
a cablegram, dated January 26, 1944, containing a protest from the
Japanese Government in reply to the notes of the Department of State
of September 8 and 9, 1943,78
concerning the treatment of the personnel of the former Japanese
Consulate General in Honolulu after the outbreak of the war in
December 1941.
[Enclosure]
Cablegram Dated January 26, 1944, Addressed to the Swedish Legation, by the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs B, Stockholm
B–7. Your B–48 last year. Please transmit to American Government
following protest of Japanese Government dated January 21st,
1944.
[Page 1100]
Japanese Government have received notes of United States
Government dated 8th and 9th September, 1943, in reply to
Japanese protest79
regarding maltreatment accorded by United States authorities to
Japanese Consul-General at Honolulu and his staff.
Japanese protest is based upon facts. Various injustices and
hardships which were actually experienced by Kita and his staff
have been pointed out in Japanese note. Though American reply
says that “careful consideration has been given to Japanese
protest”, it consists of mere denials, and no satisfactory
explanation of matters raised in protest is given. It may be
either that American officials who were in charge of group did
not report full facts to Government or that they made a wilful
misrepresentation in order to conceal their misbehaviour.
Japanese Government invite United States Government to give
reconsideration to, and make reinvestigation of, following
matters.
Primo. It is stated in American reply
that “Mr. Kita later expressed his appreciation for considerate
treatment he and his staff had received”. This apparently refers
to fact that, when on day of outbreak of hostilities Mr.
Gabrielson, Chief of Honolulu police force, came and intimated
to Kita that in view of seriousness of situation he was sending
a squad of policemen to protect Consulate-General,
Consul-General said that he had no objection to such steps being
taken. But American reply makes no mention of unwarrantable
conduct of eight or nine armed officials who soon after noon of
same day forced their way into Consulate buildings, placed
Consul-General and his staff under restraint, searched, and took
away their belongings.
The treatment given by American authorities to Japanese
Consul-General at Honolulu and his staff may be divided into
following several periods, namely, (A) December 7th, 1941, (B)
from December 8th, 1941, till January 21st, 1942, inclusive
period during which Japanese Consul-General and his staff were
detained in offices of Consulate-General, (C) from January 21st
till February 8th, 1942, inclusive period during which they were
detained in official residence of Consul-General, (D) during
their transport from Honolulu to American Continent, (E) during
their detention in Arizona on and from February 10th, 1942, (F)
from time of their departure from Arizona till their embarkation
on exchange ship.80
Treatment given them during one of these periods differs from
that of during another, and American reply only refers to such
periods as are most favourable to American contention. Kita,
when he visited Col. Green81 on December
[Page 1101]
29th, 1941, protested against treatment
which he and his staff had received since December 7th, and
demanded their release from custody and return of their
belongings which had been taken away. They did not receive any
“considerate treatment”, and therefore Kita could not have
“expressed his appreciation”. It is a grossly irresponsible
statement on part of Honolulu authorities to say that Kita
“acknowledged fact that Consulate-General was under protective
custody in view of outbreak of hostilities”. Personal liberty of
Japanese Consul-General was unduly restrained and his person was
searched and his belongings were seized. How could he
acknowledge that as a protective custody.
Seoundo. American reply says “it has been
ascertained that no threats or force were used in any case”. But
as has already been fully described in Japanese protest of
December 1942, a party of armed officials who rushed into
Japanese Consulate-General soon after noon of December 7th,
1941, encircled members of Consulate-General, threatened them,
made them take off even their underclothing, seized their
purses, keys, cigarette-lighters, etc., and thrust them into a
corner of a room. During several hours during which they were
detained there, loaded rifles were laid on desk with muzzles
pointing at their chests, and American officials, now and then
putting their hands on grips of guns, threatened and derided
them. Upon their request, position of weapons was at one time
altered, but they were soon returned to their original position.
Such threatening affronts were repeated till morning of December
8th. Nothing would be farther from truth than to say that “not
[no] threat or force were used in any
case” or “at no time were any guns intentionally pointed at
members of Consulate-General”.
Tertio. As has been said before, all keys
in possession of Consul-General and members of his staff were
taken away on December 7th. But a few days later Captain Van
Kuren demanded of Consul-General surrender of key of door of
cable room. Consul-General replied that key was among things
which had been taken away, whereupon Captain Van Kuren ordered
his men to break open door and entered room. Misrepresenting
this course of events American reply says, “Mr. Kita gave his
assent to breaking of panels of doors in order to obtain keys”.
The American officials did not demand key of steel cabinet
(which also they had taken away among other things), but
American reply says, “a locked steel cabinet was forced as there
were no available keys to open it”. American officials destroyed
cable room door and steel cabinet without obtaining consent of
Consul-General.
Quarto. As regards loss of money and
other property belonging to members of Consulate-General,
American reply says that no trace
[Page 1102]
of them has been found, and that it has
been determined that none of missing articles were taken by
police authorities. But loss of money and other articles
belonging to Seki, Chancellor, took place in upstair-room of
Consulate-General while all members of Consulate were kept in
custody and not allowed to stir a step. It is admitted by
American police authorities that they allowed no other persons
to enter Consulate-General. On other hand they freely came in
and out of building, carried away books and stationery, and
consumed cake and sweets which were there. Therefore police
authorities are only persons who can be held responsible for
missing articles. When Kita suspected the police authorities of
stealing things from house of Tsukikawa, Chancellor, Captain Van
Kuren admitted its possibility.
Quinto. American reply asserts that
Consul-General and members of his staff “lived almost normal
life”. But on December 7th, 1941, Honolulu authorities were so
excited that their behaviour became most erratic. They did not
allow Consul-General and his staff any sleep. They did not allow
them to use lavatory, but made them do their needs on lawn,
while they watched them and pointed rifles at them. Even Mrs.
Seki was not allowed to use lavatory that night, and on account
of showery cold weather she had to refrain from doing her needs
till 8 o’clock next morning. On night of 8th and 9th she was
forced to sleep among male members of group on a mattress laid
on office floor. On December 10th they were allowed to sleep in
beds which had been carried into two rooms of official residence
on second floor of office building. But from then till January
21st, 1942, not only male members of Consulate-General but also
Mrs. Seki and Ozaki, chauffeur, were detained in office rooms of
Consulate-General, and except for a short time daily for
exercise accorded at request of detained persons, they were not
allowed to go out into garden. When Mrs. Seki went upstairs in
order to change her dress or have a bath, she was followed by a
police officer with a revolver in his hand. Such is anything but
a “normal life”. American reply makes a clearly false statement
when it says, “at no time was anyone forbidden use of sanitary
facilities or embarrassed in this connection”.
Sexto. Members of Consulate-General and
Mrs. Seki, who were detained in office building from about noon
on December 7th, were not allowed to have lunch until after 3
o’clock in afternoon, when they were allowed to have some
sandwiches and milk which were bought through intermediary of
policemen. They spent evening in porch exposed to showers, and
only at midnight could they appease their hunger with some
riceballs carried from Kita’s official residence. It is
[Page 1103]
absolutely untrue to
say that “members even on first day of hostilities were served
by a Japanese maid best food available on Island”.
Septo. Consul-General and members of his
staff were given a promise that they would be allowed to
purchase necessary commodities when leaving for continent, but
Captain Van Kuren totally refused to carry out this promise
except as regards Consul-General. American reply again states a
falsehood when it says that “there was no restriction on amount
of available clothing and luggage which could be purchased other
than space permitted on vessel”.
Octavo. When on February 8th, 1942,
Consul-General and members of his staff were put on board ship
for transport to West Coast of American Continent, their luggage
was examined and their persons searched by American naval
officers in a most strict manner. They were made half naked, and
persons of women were searched in such a contemptuous manner
that decency forbids to describe it. It is contended that search
was deemed by Captain of vessel to be necessary in interest of
safety of vessel and its passengers. But what was actually done
was clearly beyond limits of necessity. It is far from truth to
say that search “was conducted with due regard to modesty of
individuals”. Japanese Government once more express their desire
that United States Government furnish them with a conscientious
unequivocal reply to each of foregoing paragraphs.
Japanese Government expect that United States Government will
also reply to Japanese protest regarding treatment accorded by
American authorities to Japanese residents in Hawaii.
Japanese Government wish to add that they have received a report
from Japanese subjects who were repatriated through second
Japanese-American exchange82
regarding ill-treatment of Japanese residents in Hawaii.
According to this report, Japanese residents in Hawaii who were
detained in said Island immediately after outbreak of
hostilities were compulsorily employed by Hawaiian authorities
in digging of blind shells, which even guard did not dare to
approach. During their transport to continent they were locked
up in ship’s bottom, given no water to wash themselves with, and
on pretext of shortage of lifeboats they were compelled to bring
lifebuoys with them. Japanese Government demand from United
States Government an explanation for these various instances of
inhuman treatment accorded to Japanese subjects.
