Japanese Resistance

[melzees]

Hey, could anyone tell me about any resistance movement in Japan? I've been having a hard time finding information on any. The help is greatly appreciated, thanks!!!!

[Kim Sung]

I remember several cases of Japanese resistance against their government. If my memory is accurate, one of them was a literary man. I don't remember his name, but I'll search for more detail about him. Considering Japanese typical conformity to social order and existing political power, this kind of thing, if any, is very exceptional.

[Kim Sung]

Kaneko Fumiko(金子文子, 1903.1.25 - 1926.7.23) is the most famous Japanese resistance fighter and female anarchist. She and her Korean anarchist husband Park Yol(박열) were arrested on September 3, 1923 when they were planning an assassination attempt on Hirohito(then Crown Prince).

Kaneko Fumiko


Park Yol



Unusual Couple in Prison


Biography of Kaneko Fumiko by Korean Writer Jang, Jong-Il(장정일)


Japanese Wikipedia

Memorial Site for Her I

Memorial Site for Her II

They were members of Korean-Japanese allied anarchist group Futeisha(不逞社). She criticized the Japanese Tenno(emperor) system for its undemocratic nature. She became a legend to Japanese anarchists.

They were sentenced to capital punishment, but their death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. Kaneko died in prison on July 23, 1926, and it was suspected that she was murdered by Japanese prison guards. Her remains were buried in Munkyong, Korea, her husband's hometown.

[Kim Sung]

I've found a link on Japanese resistace during the war. I'll translate this later.

http://www.d7.dion.ne.jp/~anneh/hasesan.htm#_Toc9858717

しかし、大戦中の国民狂熱の中でも判断と勇気を失わず、戦争の非を叫び続けた人は、孤立した少数ながらいた。これを明らかにしてその人達に学ぶことは、今後の日本人の魂にとってだいじである。改造や中央公論などの雑誌は、ある時期までは国家批判の論を知識人に伝える役を果したが、国の統制に圧服された。その中でジャーナリスト桐生(きりゅう)悠々、清沢冽(きよし)、弁護士正木ひろしは、個人誌によるなどして、最後まで軍批判を続けた。特に桐生は死ぬまで弾圧に抗して反戦を訴え続けた。制度としてのキリスト教会は軍に妥協したが、その中で柏木義円、鈴木正久などの牧師個人は機関誌等によって不屈の発言を貫いた。（制度教会は良心より組織維持を優先した。仏教界もほぼ同様）　中央公論にのせた日中戦非難論で大学を追出された無教会キリスト信徒の矢内原忠雄は、警視庁に度々呼出されながら、個人誌発行や朝鮮にまで及ぶ講演活動で伝道と国策批判を続けた。無教会には地方の狭い範囲ながら同様の活動をした人が何人かいる。プリマスブレズレンなどの非制度教会信徒にも反戦の態度を貫いた人々が相当数いた。なお、個人誌は警察の呼出し威嚇や発行禁止（最後は用紙割当て停止）をかいくぐって発行されたものである。当時は負けいくさのうわさをして歩くのが警察に知れると一般人でも取調べを受けた。注意人物の演説や公開講演には特高刑事が一列目に頑張って、政府批判等の発言があると直ちに中止解散を命じた。それで、上記の人々は他国の歴史や聖書からたとえを引きそれに仮託して政府批判の考えを伝えようと苦心した。

政治家についても、警察干渉の中で自由主義の信条を曲げず選挙民の支持で衆議院当選を続けた尾崎行雄は既に８０過ぎの老体ではあったが特筆すべきだろうか。

[Klemen L.]

One should not forget HOZUMI OZAKI, a Japanese journalist for "Asahi Shimbun" and MIYAGI YOTOKU, a Japanese journalist for the "Japan Advertiser", and some other Japanese communists which assisted them. They were all working for Richard Sorge's spy team and NKVD.

[Kim Sung]

Japanese movie on Ozaki Hozumi
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... hlight=nhk

His Photo
http://at-ease.m78.com/tama/ozaki.htm

[Klemen L.]

Short summary of the history of the Japanese Communist Party (they claim to be the only political party in Japan to oppose the war): http://www.jcp.or.jp/english/jps_weekly ... -fuwa.html or http://www.comintern-online.com/Files%2 ... Japan.html.

Anyone know what happened to other members of Richard Soprge's spy-ring: Japanese MIYAGI YOTOKU, German MAX KLAUSEN and Croat BRANKO VUKELIC? I presume they survived the war because I couldn't find any information about them being executed or killed in the war. :roll:

[Kim Sung]

Miyagi Yotoku(宮城与徳) died of tuberculosis in prison. Before that, he attempted suicide.

http://www6.plala.or.jp/guti/cemetery/P ... agi_y.html

【ゾルゲとその同志たち】碑には以下の人名が刻む
The fate of Sorge and his comrades

リヒアルト,ゾルゲ 1944.11.7刑死（巣鴨）
Richard Sorge: executed on 1944.11.7

河村好雄 1942.12.15獄死（巣鴨）
Kawamura Yoshio: died in prison on 1942.12.15

宮城興徳 1943.8.2獄死（巣鴨）
Miyagi Yotoku: died in prison on 1943.8.2

尾崎秀実 1944.11.7刑死（巣鴨）
Osaki Hozumi: executed on 1944.11.7

フランコ・ヴケリッチ 1945.1.13獄死（網走）
Branco Vukelic: died in prison on 1945.1.13

北林とも 1945.2.9釈放の二日後死
Kitabayashi Tomo: died two days after the release from the prison on 1945.2.9

船越寿雄 1945.2.27獄死
Funagoshi Nagao: died in prison on 1945.2.27

水野　成 1945.3.22獄死（仙台）
Mizuno Naru: died in prison on 1945.3.22

田口右源太 1970.4.4歿
Taguchi Yugenta: died on 1970.4.4

九津見房子 1980.7.15歿
Kuzu Mihoko: died on 1980.7.15

川合貞吉 1991.7.31歿
Kawai Sadayoshi: died on 1991.7.31

Only Taguchi, Kuzu and Kawai were survived the war.

[Klemen L.]

Miyagi Yotoku(宮城与徳) died of tuberculosis in prison. Before that, he attempted suicide.
http://www6.plala.or.jp/guti/cemetery/P ... agi_y.html

Thanks Kim. What about MAX KLAUSEN and BRANKO VUKELIC?

p.s. Thanks for the answers. This still leaves KLAUSEN's fate.

I didn't know Vukelic died in prison in 1945. Very little if nothing has been said about him in post-war Yugoslavia.

[Kim Sung]

Thanks Kim. What about MAX KLAUSEN?

He was sentenced to life imprisonment, but was released from the prison on 1945.10.9. He also survived the war.

http://www.toho.co.jp/movie-press/sorge ... ember.html

[Kim Sung]

http://www.spy-sorge.com/movie/ring.html

[Klemen L.]

Srbin u Zorgeovoj ekipi

Dok je trajala Zorgeova misija u Kini, u Nemačkoj je došao Hitler na vlast i SSSR je brzo shvatio da se nad njim nadvila velika opasnost - istovremeni napad na njegove istočne i zapadne granice. U takvim uslovima, Zorge je dobio zadatak da ode u Japan i tamo stvori potpuno novu obaveštajnu mrežu, koja će moći u svakom trenutku da informiše glavešine Crvene armije o eventualnim pokretima i namerama Japanaca.
Rihard Zorge je prihvatio taj zadatak, ali je postavio i tri uslova. Najpre, da nijedan član njegove mreže, pa ni on sam, ne sme održavati nikakvu vezu sa članovima Komunističke partije Japana. Tražio je da mu dodele dva pomoćnika: jednog Evropljanina, koji ne sme biti ni Rus ni Nemac, dok bi drugi trebalo da bude Japanac. Treći uslov je bio da se veza sa sovjetskom ambasadom može održavati samo u izuzetnim prilikama. Mreža je morala da ima stalnu kurirsku službu, kao i radio-vezu sa centrom.
Svi uslovi su prihvaćeni. Čim je to učinjeno, Zorge je u maju 1932. otputovao u Berlin, sa namerom da se učlani u Nacionalsocijalističku partiju. Nacisti su bili u punoj ekspanziji i primali su nove članove bez posebnih provera. Nisu to ni mogli, jer su im u to vreme pristupali ogorčeni ljudi, kojih je bilo na stotine hiljada.
Zahvaljujući inteligenciji, ali i nekompromitovanim starim vezama, uskoro je postao član redakcija „Frankfurter cajtunga” i „Tehniše Rundšau”. Uspeo je da postane njihov dopisnik iz Zemlje izlazećeg sunca. Prihvatio je i ponudu holandskog lista „Amsterdam handelsblat” da i njih izveštava o događajima u Japanu. Pod tim uslovima i sa preporukama nije mu bilo teško da dobije vizu. Na japansko tlo je stupio 6. septembra 1933. Iskrcao se u luci Jokohama, odakle se odmah uputio u Tokio. Tu je, u otmenom kvartu, našao luksuzan stan, a onda se prijavio nemačkoj ambasadi i učlanio u Nemački klub. Javio se i na adresu „Bernharda”, koju je dobio u Moskvi. I tako je jedan od najvećih špijuna 20. veka, a možda i u istoriji, krenuo ka vrhuncu obaveštajne karijere.
Jedan od uslova koje je postavio Zorge bilo je veoma teško ispuniti: koga naći za njegovog pomoćnika? Rešenje je moralo da se nađe, i nađeno je u jugoslovenskom studentu Branku Vukeliću, koji je pripadao marksistima, a u Parizu je boravio od 1926. godine.
Jednog dana 1932. upoznao ga je neki njegov drug sa Olgom, koja mu je odmah naložila da prekine svako druženje sa dotadašnjim prijateljima. Provera pogodnosti Branka Vukelića za zadatak u Japanu je dugo trajala. Posle Olge, taj zadatak je obavljalo još nekoliko članova Kominterne. Na kraju, Branko Vukelić je dobio naređenje da se kao novinar uputi u japansku prestonicu.
Vukelić je morao naći redakciju čiji će dopisnik biti iz Tokija. Tada se setio otadžbine i kontaktirao redakciju „Politike”. Ponudio je da, uz minimalne uslove, šalje izveštaje iz Japana. Beogradski list je prihvatio njegove uslove, ali mu je trebalo još neko pokriće. Rešenje je našao u krajnje levo orijentisanom časopisu „Vi”, čiji je postao dopisnik - fotoreporter.
Uskoro je Branko Vukelić, zajedno sa ženom i četvorogodišnjim sinom, krenuo brodom preko Singapura u Japan. Kao i Zorge, i on se iskrcao u Jokohami, ali sedam meseci ranije, 11. februara 1933. Zorge je za to vreme bio zauzet u Nemačkoj sticanjem pozicija. I Vukelić je zakupio vilu u otmenom kvartu. Tajna služba „Bernhard” mu je naložila da uspostavi što bolje kontakte u novinarskim krugovima.
„Privredna ekspanzija Japana u Mandžuriji” bio je prvi tekst objavljen u „Politici” iz pera Branka Vukelića, i to 22. avgusta 1933. Od tada, pa sve do početka rata, „Politika” će nekoliko puta mesečno donositi članke svog dopisnika iz Japana. Saradnja sa časopisom „Vi” iz Pariza je mnogo kraće trajala, zato što je Zorge smatrao da sovjetski obaveštajac ne bi trebalo da sarađuje sa časopisom koji je krajnje levo orijentisan.
Za Branka Vukelića se zna da je rođen 1904. godine u srpskoj oficirskoj porodici. Posle završetka Prvog svetskog rata, njegov otac je dobio prekomandu u Zagreb, gde je Branko završio gimnaziju i upisao se na fakultet. Tu je i postao aktivan član marksističke grupe i zbog toga je uhapšen. Kada je pušten iz pritvora, rešio je da napusti zemlju i obreo se u Parizu, gde je i vrbovan od Kominterne.
Mijagi Jotoku, mlad i talentovan slikar, živeo je i radio u Los Anđelesu sve do početka 1933. godine, kada je ovaj mladi komunista počeo da se udaljava od prijatelja. U septembru te godine potpuno je nestao iz umetničkog života Los Anđelesa.
I sa njim se događalo isto što i sa Brankom Vukelićem. Jotoku se vratio u Japan i, po instrukcijama javio se na oglas u listu „Djapan advertajzer”. U oglasu se tražio specijalista za japansko pismo, a trebalo je i da se javi utvrđenom lozinkom na određenu adresu. Čovek kojem je bio potreban stručnjak za japansko pismo bio je Branko Vukelić.
Zorge se odmah po dolasku u Japan povezao sa Vukelićem i uskoro su se sprijateljili, održavajući stalne kontakte. Nikom nije bilo ni na kraj pameti da posumnja u druženje dvojice novinara, jednog iz Jugoslavije i drugog iz Nemačke.
Bilo je to pred kraj novembra 1933., kada je na otvaranju izložbe Vukelić upoznao Zorgea i mladog japanskog slikara koji je obećavao - Mijagi Jotokua. I drugi pomoćnik, Japanac, bio je tu. Kada je uskoro montirana minijaturna radio-stanica i uspostavljena veza sa Vladivostokom, svi su uslovi bili ispunjeni i moglo se početi sa radom punim tempom.

Branko Vukelic was Serb and not Croat. He studied and lived in Zagreb because his father served there as an officer. Came to Japan in 1933 with his wife and 4-year-old son. There he also made contact with YOTOKU MIYAGI, who was a young and talented painter who lived in Los Angeles until 1933 and the first ring was created. Shortly afterwards they made a direct link with Vladivstok...

[Kim Sung]

Branko Vukelic was Serb and not Croat.

Was he Serb by birth? It seems the name Branko Vukelic is more common in Croatia. All other sources say he is Croat.

And he was posthumously awarded the title, Hero of the Soviet Union in 1964.

http://www.cia.gov/csi/kent_csi/docs/v09i4a09p_0004.htm

It is clear that the Soviet authorities wish to present Sorge as a popular hero but have no desire at this time to publish an accurate history of his intelligence operation. By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, on 5 November 1964 he was posthumously awarded the title, Hero of the Soviet Union. In January 1965, Max Klausen was awarded the Order of the Red Banner and his wife Anna received the Order of the Red Star. Branko Vukelic was posthumously awarded the Order of the Patriotic War (First Degree). The East German Government has conferred on Max and Anna Klausen the Gold Medal of Merit of the National People's Army. But perhaps the most significant honor bestowed on Sorge was the issuance, early in 1965, of a Soviet stamp bearing his portrait. He thus joins Nathan Hale as an intelligence agent who has been paid philatelic honors by his government. No further proof is required of the intention of the Soviet authorities to add Sorge to the Soviet pantheon.

[Klemen L.]

Was he Serb by birth?

Yes. He was born in 1904. Couldn't find the place of his birth, but it was in Serbia. After World War I his father, who was a professional officer of the Royal Serbian Army, was transfered to Zagreb (Croatia), where young Branko attended the gymnasium and University of Zagreb. There he also became an active member of a Marxist group and was because of that arrested. After his release from jail, he left the country and settled in Paris (France) and the rest you know....

He later because a correspondent from the Far East for the Belgrade newspaper "Politika" and French magazine "Vu" (a left-wing French magazine best known to be the first magazine to publish that famous Robert Capa's photo "Falling Soldier" from the Spanish Civil War in 1936). And the rest you know.

Vukelic had very good contacts with the French embassy in Tokyo and some Japanese journalists and military. He has often travelled with other journalists to Manchuria, China and Korea to write reportages about the fighting that was going on there, including with the Soviets at Khasan Lake and Khalkin-Gol.

Interesting but this Serbian article suggests that he died in Japanese prison as a result of heavy torture. Same it claims for Yotoku Miyagi. I reckon they didn't receive much warm welcome or sympathy by Japanese (counter)-intelligence service and Kempetai as most spies didn't/don't when they are caught.

It seems the name Branko Vukelic is more common in Croatia.

Never heard of this. Most Vukelic's I know are from Serbia and Montenegro, Serbs from Bosnia and Herzegowina and Croatia or Croats with Serbian ancestors. Until 1990s there was a long Serbian minority in Croatia which lived there for centuries and naturally there has been some mixing between Serbs and Croats. Many Croats and Serbs especially from Central Dalmatia probably have at least one Croatian or Serbian ancestor in their family tree. Although today many are reluctant to admit this.

BTW: You also have Vukelics in Vienna and Budapest - descendants of Serbian families.

All other sources say he is Croat.

Which sources?

And he was posthumously awarded the title, Hero of the Soviet Union in 1964.
http://www.cia.gov/csi/kent_csi/docs/v09i4a09p_0004.htm

From what I can see he was "only" posthumously awarded the Order of the Patriotic War (First Degree). Only Richard Sorge received the title, Hero of the Soviet Union. Interesting that none of the Japanese communists from Sorge's spy-ring did not get any decorations, especially Hozumi Ozaki, who was with his connections in the Japanese government, in my opinion, the most important source for entire Richard Sorge's spy-ring.

[Kim Sung]

All other sources say he is Croat.

Which sources?

All Japanese sources say that he is Croat.

From what I can see he was "only" posthumously awarded the Order of the Patriotic War (First Degree). Interesting that none of the Japanese communists from Sorge's spy-ring did not get any decorations, especially Hozumi Ozaki, who was with his connections in the Japanese government, in my opinion, the most important source for entire Richard Sorge's spy-ring.

Yes, it's my mistake. And I'm also curious why Hozumi's sacrifice was ignored by the Soviets.