740.00115 P.W./7–645: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Minister in Switzerland (Harrison)
2432. Request Swiss to inform Jap Govt as follows:
As of July 4, 1945, Japanese civilian internees held in the United States received daily 4,831 pounds of food representing 4100 calories.
[Here follows detailed information as to food served to Japanese civilian internees and prisoners of war held in the United States.]
The US Govt is becoming increasingly concerned about the food which the Japanese Govt provides for American POWs and civilian internees in Japanese occupied territory as well as in Japan proper. Reports reed in the US indicate that at many camps the food situation is deteriorating. The condition of American nationals liberated from Japanese imprisonment in the Philippine Islands was such that the US Govt knows that its concern for the health of American nationals held by the Japanese is not unfounded.
The US Govt has from the earliest days of the war been concerned because of the deleterious effect of Japanese diet upon American nationals unaccustomed to oriental foods. It has felt not only that oriental foods might be difficult for American nationals to become accustomed to but also that the nutritive value of the food would be less than that to which the Americans were accustomed. The food supplied American POWs and internees has been a subject of continuous representations by the US Govt (See Dept’s 2934, Aug 25, 1944,87 and Dept’s 1992, Jan [June] 8, 1945.88). The Japanese Govt has not taken necessary steps to furnish adequate food for Americans in its hands.
Since the beginning of the war the American authorities in contrast to the Japanese authorities, have supplied food to Japanese civilian internees and prisoners of war which was not only sufficient in quantity but was in accordance with the national tastes of the prisoners and internees. To the knowledge of the United States Government no complaints have been made about the food given to Japanese nationals held by the American authorities.
The recent action of the Jap Govt in stopping all financial assistance for American nationals in prisoner of war and civilian internee camps operated by the Japanese (your 3393, July 289) indicates that the Japanese Government will not permit the US Govt to use the only method which has thus far been open to it to provide sustenance on a [Page 359] regular basis for Americans held by the Japanese. Unless the Japanese Government permits neutral representatives to purchase relief supplies for the use of American nationals or unless the Japanese Government supports prisoners of war and civilian internees in accordance with its obligations, the United States Government can only assume that the Jap Govt sanctions the starvation of American POWs and civilian internees in its custody.
The US Govt expects the Jap Govt promptly to give assurances that Americans in its hands will be protected from starvation. The US Govt also expects the Japanese Government to indicate the steps which it proposes to take to assure that Americans in its hands will not starve.
The US Govt emphasizes to the Jap Govt the seriousness with which it views reports that Americans in Japanese hands are on starvation rations. The US Govt declares that the Jap Govt and its officers will not be able to avoid responsibility for the starvation of Americans in Japanese custody.90