MID 201. SINO-KOREAN PEOPLES
LEAGUE, 10-31-41

Subject: The Japanese Military Servicemen's League and Japanese-American Citizens League.

Summary of Information:

The following press release given out by the Sino-Korean Peoples League under date of October 31, 1941, is quoted as follows:

Surprisingly, Mr. Togo Tanaka, the Representative of the National Japanese-American Citizens League and Editor of the Rafu-Shimpo, the leading Japanese daily at Los Angeles, now visiting in Washington, admitted to Kilsoo K. Haan, Washington Representative, Sino-Korean Peoples League, that there "was a Japanese Military Serviceman's League in San Francisco as charged by Senator Gillette," -- but he continued, "The Japanese Military Serviceman's League is now being rapidly dissolved and all the money is to be turned over to the Japanese American Citizens League as soon as possible."

The Japanese Consul-Generals Consistently Denied Knowledge of the Existence of Japanese Military Serviceman's League.

The Japanese Consul-Generals, Kenji Nakauchi and Nagao Kita, respectively of Los Angeles and Honolulu, consistently and recently flatly denied the knowledge of and existence of such a subversive organization having branches in the strategic cities of the Western States.

Obviously these officials were trying to conceal the identity of this powerful Japanese American subversive organization, to deceive and mislead the American official and public into believing all the Japanese Americans are loyal to America.

Distribution:
State
F.B.I.
O.N.I.

Note: Background - G-2 Comment:

Senator Guy M. Gillette on Oct. 2, 1941, introduced Senate Resolution 176, and on the Senate floor charged that the Japanese Consulate agents have helped organize the powerful subversive organization known as the "Japanese Military Serviceman's League". He charged that the military league, "has 7,200 members consisting of Japanese subjects and dual citizens of Japanese ancestry (U.S. Citizens) who annually apply for deferment of military service in Japan through the Japanese Consulates."

He also charged, "As of May 1941 it is alleged that this organization sent 650,000 yen to the Japanese funds" ..... and that "the Japanese Military Serviceman's League and the Japanese Imperial Comradeship Society operates in 65 localities with 74 branches. These two organizations also exert strong influence over the Japanese American Citizens League". Reliable source of information reports that Mr. Togo Tanaka, referred to above, is presently living in the same apartment building that contains the apartment now occupied by Secretary of State Hull.