Japanese leaders purged by SCAP

[Valentina]

I need some information about the japanese leaders who were purged by
the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers during the occupation
years. I need to know who they were and what thay did until the SCAP
changed their policy in Japan at the beginning of the cold war. Where
can I find some information about these leaders who, purged, ruled
again also after the purge?
Thank you!

 

[KaterinaH]

Hi, there.

I know one person who were purged but came back to the political position. SHINSUKE KISHI. He was procecuted by the SCAP at the supreme court for being a minister at the cabinet during WWII. He was calssified as Level A war crime prisoner. Later he was released and he went back to the politics. He became the prime minister of Japan and famous and controversial Japan-US security treaty was contracted during those times. His grandson, Shinzo Abe, is also in the politic scene now. He is quite famous among Japanese people and he is supporting current Prime Minister Koizumi as Secretary-General Liberal Democratic Party. He is well known with his effort trying to solve the problem of Japanese kiddnapped by North Korean spys and he is still working on this matter.

I am going home in 3 weeks to Japan. I try to look for more information for you if I can and I will post it here if I find anything.

Good luck!

 

[Valentina]

Thank you Katerinah. I have to write a report about this argument for my degree. I study Japanese History at the University of Rome.
Hope to find some information.

Bye bye,

 

[Shidenkai]

Studiando giurisprudenza,
mi rendo conto sconsolato
della stupida esperienza.

 

[Zero-sen]

If you can get it buy the book i've listed below it has everyone listed and is a very good source for the info you need:

Shokan: Hirohito's Samurai: Leaders of the Japanese Armed Forces 1926-1945
By Richard Fuller
Hardcover / Cassell military / 21 May, 1992 / ISBN: 1854091514

Hope this helps!!

 

[Valentina]

Dear Zero sen,
I have bought that book, BUT there's nothing useful for me...
Thank you anyway.

 

[Apollo]

Dear Zero sen,
I have bought that book, BUT there's nothing useful for me...
Thank you anyway.

I can see this thread has been revived after months...Valentia, are you still doing this paper/project? Do you still want help in finding sources?

 

[Valentina]

Hi Miss Apollo77,
yes I still need to find these information. I have found a lot about Hatoyama Ichiro, but can't find news on Kishi...
Any idea???
Thank you.

 

[Apollo]

Hiya Valentina,

I am sorry I can't help you out about Kishi, as you have to go through Japanese sources and search archives and libraries in Japan. (Good if you can get a scholarship for research-purposes!!)

It is difficult to advise you when I don't know exactly what your approach is, and most importantly, how far you are with your project, but:

About Japanese purged people in general:

Nomura Kishisaburo, the former admiral, foreign minister, and ambassador to the United States during the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941.

Member of the board of Mitsui bank, (I forget his name, but if it is important, I can try and think) who instead became chairman of the board of Sony.
Kabayama, a former president of Imperial steel company, was also a victim of the purge law.

These above-mentioned people should be easy to find info on.

If you can look up Thomas Bisson, then it could be relevant, as he was a New Dealer in the SCAP staff and helped draft the purge plan. (and leading authority on Japan). He was "kicked out" in 1954.

James Killen, Chief of Labor Division in 1947-48 in SCAP.

An article which is useful:
H. Schonberger, "T.A. Bission and the Limits of Reform in Occupied Japan", Bulletin of Concerned Asian Scholars, Vol. 12, no. 4, (1980)

If not, there is the "FEC document no.230" (FEC-230), which you probably have read about...

Good luck!