JAPANESE INTELLIGENCE
AND PROPAGANDA IN THE UNITED STATES DURING 1941 (Prepared by the Counter
Subversion Section, Office of Naval Intelligence, from information
received from various sources) December 4, 1941
"The [Japanese]
military and naval espionage system is organized into more than one
independent de-centralized machine. Information sought may be classified
as professional, commercial, domestic, and political, and while the duty
of each section is practically the same, the detection and destruction
of one group will in no way lead to the destruction of the remaining
ones.
"In addition to the
organized machines operating under their respective chiefs, there are
many individual agents whose trail will never be picked up. If they are
apprehended, they can never be proved to be anything but irresponsible
individuals operating without pay, authority, or direction. It is also
well to remember that every Japanese commercial organization is an
actively functioning information unit for the Japanese Government. Their
normal business activities are nationwide, as are their contacts, and
the Japanese Government exercises direct control over these groups
through its Embassy in Washington as well as through its many
consulates.
"Approximately one
year ago, Japanese Consulates on the West Coast began to collect
information about the movement of British, French and American naval and
air forces, stressing the importance of having eye witnesses make
reports. At the same time, it was suggested in Tokyo that a naval
officer be assigned to each consulate in the United States as a "clerk"
to secure information for the Naval Ministry.
"Mitsubishi is one of
the fourteen semi-official organizations specifically designated to
collect and report intelligence information formerly sought by Tokyo
through regular Military and Naval agents. Reports of ship and troop
movements, arrangements of inspection trips for visiting Japanese
officials to important American plants and military establishments and
the collection of all available information about the National Defense
effort are illustrations of the "extra curricula activities" carried on
by this organization. The same general pattern holds true with respect
to other Japanese business houses.
"Of the many and varied types of Japanese organizations in the United States, by far the most active and subversive to the interests of this country are such military organizations as the NANKA TEIKOKU GUNYUDAN (Southern California War Veterans), Los Angeles, NIPPON KAIGUN KYUOKAI (Japanese Naval Association), Los Angeles, SAKURA KAI (Patriotic Society), Los Angeles, HOKUBEI BUTOKU KAI (Military Virtue Society of North America) Alvarado, California, and the HOKUBEI HEIEKI GIMUSHA KAI (Association of Japanese in North America Obligated for Military Duty), San Francisco.
"These organizations
are intensely nationalistic and until recently made heavy contributions
to the Japanese War Chest. Members of the NANKA TEIKOKU GUNYUDAY, NIPPON
KAIGUN KYOKAI, AND SAKURA KAI are suspected of being either veterans of
or reservists in the Japanese armed forces. They have co-operated
closely with official Japanese Agencies in the United States and the
arrest of Commander Tachibana disclosed that the last two organizations,
together with the SUIKO SHA (Reserve Officersí Club) in Los Angeles,
were supplying him with intelligence information to be sent to
Tokyo.
"Although their
membership is drawn from a younger age group, such organizations as the
HOKUBEI BUTOKU KAI and HOKUBEI HEIEKI GIMUSHA KAI are none the less
loyal to Japanese principle, particularly to the expansionist program of
the present military regime in Tokyo. In both of these organizations,
internal friction has been noted and in those branches where the
conservative element is dominant, there has been a tendency to
de-emphasize military activities and in some cases to sever altogether
affiliations with headquarters in Japan. On the other hand, where
extremists have retained control, a marked increase in attendance to
military sports, to local intelligence activities, and closer
co-operation with the home government have been noted.
"Many local branches
of these organizations have changed their names during the last few
months in order to avert suspicion. In the event of war between the
United States and Japan, Japanese organizations of this general type are
certain to be delegated important espionage and sabotage functions in
the area where they now operate."