Footnotes

1. See enclosures to letter of transmittal #7 and #11.

2. It is interesting to note that following the evacuation, interception of suspicious or unidentified radio signals and shore-to-ship signal lights were virtually eliminated and attacks on seaboard shipping from west coast appreciably reduced.

3. Some of these newspaper items are as follows:

"March 13, 1941. Thirty-two bales of [illegible] were shipped to Japan through the Japanese Consulate General and were contributed by Japanese Associations of Fresno County, Kern County, [illegible] and San Bernardino."

"July 6, 1941. Central California Japanese Association announces the collection and [illegible] to the War Ministry of the sum of $3,362.91."

The Japanese Veterans Association was similarly engaged:

"March 19, 1941. It is announced that the War veterans Association in Japan, Germany and Italy, keeping with the spirit of the Axis Treaty have formed joint and advisory committees to aid and establish the new world order. There are 3½ million veterans and reservists by General Isuri who have pledged the cooperation to Axis values."

(All quotations in this note taken from the Extension of the Testimony of the Attorney General of California given before the House of representatives, Select Committee on National Defense Agencies pursuant to House Resolution 113, 77th Congress, San Francisco Hearings, para 29. Italics supplied.)

4. The program was as follows:

  1. Singing of Japanese National Anthem;
  2. Opening of the Emperor's parcels;
  3. Reading of the Emperor's Rescript;
  4. Reading of Message of Reverence;
  5. Bowing heads toward Japan;
  6. Shouting "Banzai" (Long live the Emperor).

5. New World Sun, January 7, 1941: 216.

6. For example, in Alvarado, Alameda County, Post Office Box 211 was the address of the following:

  1. Headquarters' Military VIrtue Society of North America
  2. [Illegible] Finance Association
  3. Japanese-American News Correspondent
  4. New World Sun Correspondent
  5. [Illegible] Shinbun Correspondent
  6. Alvarado Japanese School
  7. Takishi Nakamura (President) Military Virtue Society of North America

In Sebastapol, Post Office Box 37 was the address of the following:

  1. Military VIrtue Society of North America
  2. Japanese Sunday School
  3. [Illegible] Prefectural Society
  4. Sabura Baseball Team

In Salinas, Post Office Box 233 was the address of:

  1. Military Virtue Society of North America
  2. Miso Grill
  3. Salinas Fishing Club

In Auburn, Post Office Box 17 was the address of:

  1. Military VIrtue Society of North America
  2. Japanese School
  3. Young Men's Buddhist Association
  4. Young WOmen's Buddhist Association
  5. Buddhist Church

In Lindsay, 157 Mount Vernon Avenue was the address of:

  1. Military Virtue Society of North America
  2. Japanese School
  3. Lindsay Women's Associate

7. New World Sun, August 28, 1937: p. 10.

8. Excerpt from [Illegible] Nippon Ziu [Illegible], published in Japan, 1940.

9. The Togo Kai. The Togo Kai was organized in 1905 in memory of Admiral Togo, the hero of the Japanese Russian Naval Battle. (Ref. Japanese Directory of Political and Religious Organization.) The purposes of this organization were to promote a greater Imperial Japanese Navy, and to collect and transmit funds for the Japanese Navy.

It was revealed that there were three Togo Kai branches in the United States: One in Sacramento, one in Sonoma COunty, and one in San Francisco. All of these branches worked industriously to raise money for the Japanese Navy War Relief Fund. The Togo Kai branches in America were controlled by the parent Togo Kai headquarters in Japan. This fact is substantiated by reference to telegraphic bank transfers from the various branches of the United States to headquarters in Japan.

The Kenjo Kai. "Due to the critical situation that has developed in the Orient," the [Illegible] (Retired Army Men's Corps) of Sacramento organized the Kenjo Kai (Society for Defending the Country by Swords, or the Sword Society)l in July, 1938, (Ref. New World Sun, July 19, 1937: 3:1.) It was the first military Japanese organization that was established in the United States by Japanese ex-service men to support military actions taken by the Japanese government in the Orient.

The following telegram from the Japanese Army Department was received by the Kenjo Kai just after the organization of that Society, and was read at the first executive board meeting:

"During this emergency, you officials are doing your utmost for the Country and the Army Department is very grateful. For the establishment of peace in the Orient it is necessary for us to adopt positive steps in China." (Ref. New World Sun, July 15, 1937: 3:1.)

In September, 1940, the Kenjo Kai, together with other organizations in Sacramento, gave a farewell banquet for three representatives who were sent to the Empire Jubilee COnference in Tokyo. (Ref. New World Sun, September 17, 1938:[illegible].)

Members of the Kenjo Kai made monthly contributions of $2.00 or more to Imperial Japanese Army War Relief Fund. This proposal was [illegible] by Counsel-General [Illegible] during his visit to Sacramento in 1919.

The Nippon[illegible] Kai. The Japanese Association of America (Nippon[illegible] Kai) was the principal controlling organization in the United States. It operated in close cooperation with the consulate and carried out the directives of that office. Article 1 of its by-laws provides:

"Article 1. This association is organized by the local Japanese association under the jurisdiction of the Japanese Consulate General of San Francisco." (Italics supplied.)

The Japanese Association acted as intermediary between the Japanese people in the United States and the Japanese government. It aided the collection of war relief funds and poll taxes, sponsored organization of corps of visitors from the United States to Japan, founded Japanese language schools, disseminated propaganda, welcomed dignitaries and visiting military and naval officers, encouraged emperor worship, [illegible] pro-Japanese activities. Branches of the Japanese Association were established in every community where the Japanese population was such as to warrant such an organization.

Other outstanding Japanese organizations were known to exist in the United States. Some of the more prominent ones are listed below. The translation of the names of these organizations is indicative o the objects.

10. New World Sun, April 13, 1940: 4:1.



Transcribed and formatted for HTML by Patrick Clancey, HyperWar Foundation