KA Files Returned to the Japanese Government in 1953: Shipping Casualties

Discussion in 'Prisoners of War' started by papiermache, Sep 21, 2020.

  1. papiermache

    papiermache Well-Known Member

    The Japanese Prisoner of War Information Bureau continued working under US military guidance long after the war and then retained the Japanese language records. The US returned the files to Japan in 1953 ( unknown whether the British Government were informed ) so that the Japanese could comply with their obligations under the Geneva Convention (which the Japanese had not ratified.) The obligation was for the Japanese to inform the Allied governments what records they held on POW and to return them to the POW's government. Some of these files have been translated and copied to the Swiss Red Cross and US and British governments in different editions but it would be good to know where the originals are now.

    "Receipt:
    Tokyo, Japan
    6 July 1953
    RECEIPT
    Receipt is acknowledged for the Japanese language source records and documents of the Japanese Prisoner of War Information Bureau as described on the attached DD Forms 111, Records Shipment List, consisting of 27 pages, and contained in boxes 1 - 45, the equivalent of 113 linear feet.
    These records are transferred to the Office of the Director, Japanese Government, Prisoner of War Information Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, pursuant to authority contained in Department of The Army letter AGCM-M, Subject: Records of the Japanese Prisoner of War information Bureau, 29 May 1953.
    WITNESSED
    W.P. MOORE
    Colonel, AGC
    Ass't Adjutant General

    (sgd)
    TAMOTSU KUMADA
    Director
    Japanese Government PWIB
    Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    To: Ministry of Foreign Affairs
    Japanese Government
    Tokyo, Japan
    From ( Shipper ): Adjutant General, HQ, AFFE, APO 343


    { These are all the files referring to shipping casualties that were returned ( Note: Numbers of separate parts of files noted after file references. Also note that "Toyofuku Maru" refers to the "Hofuku Maru" ) }

    { KA27 is usually noted on IJA cards of those who died on board the Hofuku Maru. English language versions of KA28 are in the US and British archives. )


    POW CASUALTIES

    KA 1 Matters concerning information on the disaster off TAVOY ISLAND 1
    KA 2 Confirmation documents pertaining to sunken ships 5
    KA 3 Confirmation documents pertaining to sunken ships 5
    KA 4 Confirmation documents pertaining to sunken ships 5
    KA 5 Confirmation documents pertaining to sunken ships 5
    KA 6 Confirmation documents pertaining to sunken ships 5
    KA 7 Documents on ship disaster SUEZU MARU 1
    KA 8 Temporary record of the survivors of the TOYOFUKU MARU ( FORMOSA ) 1
    KA 9 Temporary individual record cards of survivors of the TOYOFUKU MARU ( FUKUOKA ) 1
    KA 10 Temporary individual record cards of survivors of the TOYOFUKU MARU ( TOKYO ) 1
    KA 11 Name lists of survivors of the TOYOFUKU MARU OSAKA 1
    KA 12 Name lists of survivors of the TOYOFUKU MARU PHILIPPINE ISLANDS 1
    KA 13 Name lists of TOYOFUKU MARU ( transferred to PHILLIPINES before disaster due to illness ) 1
    KA 14 Name lists of transferred 150 POW's aboard TOYOFUKU MARU ( disaster off BATAAN 21 Sept) 1
    KA 15 Name lists of deceased POW's aboard the KACHIDOKI MARU 1
    KA 16 Temporary individual record cards survivors KACHIDOKI MARU & RAKUYO MARU 1
    KA 17 Name lists deceased aboard TAMABOKO MARU 1
    KA 18 Name lists of POW's bound for Japan on board the TAMABOKU MARU 1
    KA 19 Name lists of deceased aboard the JUNYO MARU 1
    KA 20 Name lists of shipwrecked POW's from the 2 Branch Camp SHINYO MARU 1
    KA 21 Name lists of deceased aboard the HARUGIKU MARU 1
    KA 22 Name lists of POW's aboard the ORYOKU MARU and the ENOURA MARU 1
    KA 23 Name lists of shipwrecked POW's ARISAN MARU 1
    KA 24 Name lists of POW's on the RISHON MARU 2
    KA 25 Name lists of POW's on the RAKUYO MARU 1
    KA 26 Name lists of POW's on the KACHIDOKI MARU 1
    KA 27 Name lists of POW's on the TOYOFUKU MARU 1
    KA 28 Complete name-lists of all missing POW's on board sunken Japanese ships ( in English ) 1
     
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  2. BarbaraWT

    BarbaraWT Member

    A friend’s POW Grandfather died on one of these hellish ships that sunk. Terrible tragedy.
     
  3. papiermache

    papiermache Well-Known Member

    There should be many more files in the KA series. The Montevideo Maru, for example. See here:

    The sinking of the Montevideo Maru – Parliament of Australia

    Extract from above link re the "Roll" :

    " As mentioned above, a roll of those persons who had embarked on the Montevideo Maru was discovered in Tokyo by Major Williams in 1945. The roll was taken by the Japanese at an unspecified time, but probably well before the Montevideo Maru left Rabaul on its ill-fated final voyage.[42] The 48 page roll was in Katakana (Japanese script) and was partially translated by Major Williams and then completed in Australia. The roll was then checked against personnel records and this was the basis on which next of kin were informed of the suspected death of their loved ones. It should be noted that the process of translation would not have been easy, and given that the Japanese roll was an attempt to render English names into Katakana in the first place the process of double translation must give rise to some doubts about the accuracy of parts of the list.

    There is still confusion over the whereabouts of the original roll, which was ‘… apparently lost from the national archives after being brought back from Japan by post-war investigators’.[43] This statement reflects what has become received wisdom on this issue but even this is somewhat confusing. On his website Montevideo Maru, Rod Miller states that it is the original Katakana roll which is lost and not the English translation.[44] "
     
    Last edited: Sep 22, 2020
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  4. JimHerriot

    JimHerriot Ready for Anything

    Wreck has been located.

    Montevideo Maru: Australia finds wreck of Japanese WW2 disaster ship

    Always remember, never forget,

    Jim.
     
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  5. papiermache

    papiermache Well-Known Member

    The report of the Major Williams referred to in post 3 is here { 8.3 MB } downloadable free from Australian Archives. The Australian Archives index listing of the file does not refer to the Montevideo Maru. The full report is in the file but the pages are out of order. See in particular four of the Appendices to the report - found on page 28 of the PDF, and following pages.

    https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/Sea...Reports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=772568&isAv=N

    Screen Shot 2023-04-22 at 10.03.46.png
     
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  6. papiermache

    papiermache Well-Known Member

    The above link now says "timed out" so use Advanced Search at Australian Archives and enter the Item ID 772568 as below:

    Screen Shot 2023-04-22 at 10.20.06.png
     
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