10/28/1894 my great grandfather Takaichi Saiki, age seven, arrived in Honolulu from Hiroshima with his parents on aboard the SS Nanching. He married, had seven kids, and by 1941 was vice-president of the Bank of Hilo.
6/14/1941: Six months before Pearl Harbor, J. Edgar Hoover wrote to LMC Smith – Chief, Special Defense Unit from: “It is recommended that [Saiki] be considered for custodial detention in the event of a national emergency. The information contained on the attached dossier [4 add’l pages] constitutes the basis for appropriate consideration in this regard.”
11/12/1941 FBI report : Character of case: registration act. Agent report 7/18/1941 - “…Came to Hawaii with parents on 10/28/1894, arriving at Honolulu aboard the SS Nanchung, a British vessel. First appointed a consular agent about 20 years ago and has been one since… evidence to indicate they are ‘officials’ of Japanese government very meager… Saiki is influential among Japanese in Hilo and vicinity, and on the surface does such things as ostentatiously buying and selling US defense bonds, but in private conversation shows extreme Nationalism and sympathy for Japan and against the United States. No criminal or credit record.” That’s the summary. There are 15 pages of details, including references to observations by Confidential Informant HO-191.
8/18/1941: DoJ INS: abstract of consolidated file: 5’3”, 112# as of 12/9/1940; member of Chamber of Commerce of Hilo; Hilo Japanese Association; Hawaiishima Dobogo Kenno Kiseikai (dissolved 1939). Permits to reenter US 7/31/1930; 2/8/1935; 8/6/1940. Last return to US on 5/23/1941 on Tatutu Maru.
12/7/1941 Arrested and send to Sand Island off O’ahu via Kilauea Military Camp
Early 1942: Extra-judicially tried.
2/2/1942, FBI report, discussing a 2600th Anniversary of the Founding of Japan” commemorative cup he got from Yosuke Matsuoka, junior grade of the Third Court rank, Minister of Foreign Affairs. A letter with it “commended him for his distinguished service towards overseas expansion of the Japanese race.”
8/9/1942 FBI: Military governor ordered Saiki interned on 3/9/1942 [He’s been held on Sand Island, off Oahu, since his arrest on Dec 7]
11/23/1942: Camp Livingston, LA - petition for reuniting family in family internment center
3/16/1943: Report from Camp Livingston, LA on his attitude: no unfavorable; one favorable check for trends of physical and mental condition; two checks for character of associates; three checks for general attitude and cooperativeness with Camp authorities.
5/29/1943: FBI memo, signed by J Edgar Hoover, asking Ass’t Att’y General Wendell Berge “whether the evidence developed to date is sufficient to justify prosecution of the subject and whether such prosecution will be authorized.”
6/14/1943: DOJ says “the subject was… a so-called ‘consular agent’ in Hawaii and engaged in functions commonly performed by a notary public. The facts in this case are not sufficient to warrant prosecution particularly in view of the fact that the War Department opposed proceeding against so-called ‘consular agents’ and since the subject is now interned by the military authorities for the duration of the war.”
7/26/1943 report: 6/5/1943 at Ft. Missoula (Army Camp Livingston, LA 5/30/1942)
10/6/1943: does not desire repatriation
5/6/1944: info on internees – list of family (wife & kids: ages, city/state). Desire parole only if permitted to return to Hawaii;
4/6/1944: moved from Missoula to Santa Fe
10/16/1945: Repatriation application, listing birth info (2/28/1887 in Higashihakushima, Hiroshima, Japan), job, address, and text “I DO NOT DESIRE REPATRIATION TO JAPAN”
“He has never renounced US Citizenship” – he had never been permitted US citizenship
I desire nonrepatriation for the reasons that I have lived in Hawaii for most of my life, about 50 years, and I have family there, therefore I would like to join my family in Hawaii. My loyalty definitely lies with the USA which is my family’s native country. I have American born wife and eight American born children.”
10/30/45 INS Report of Alien Enemy: left Santa Fe
11/6/1945 INS Report of Alien Enemy: arrived in Seattle 11/2 En Route to Hawaii
11/21/1945 INS Report of Alien Enemy: arrived at Honolulu via USAT “YARMOUTH” 11/7, verified by UNIANS and discharged.
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