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Evacuating Europe
Evacuating Europe
Admiral Mineo Osumi. Japanese navy's senior flag officer and former Minister of Navy.
[His quote in the Brooklyn Eagle got picked up
Dr. Masahuru Anesaki. Noted Japanese scholar who formerly occupied the chair of philosophy at Tokyo Imperial University. From A Life Chronology:
1939: Departs Yokohama for London on 19 March. Hears Hitler’s speech on the radio in New York and felt very anxious. Participates in a conference in Brussels, gives a lecture in Balliol College, Oxford and delivers an address “The Fundamentals of Buddhist Culture in Japan” at Rhodes House, Oxford. With the war between Britain and Germany erupting, rushes to Poole near Bournemouth, Dorsetshire to seek safety, on 1 September. After a stay of one month there, sails from Liverpool on 10 October together with his daughter and her family. Returns to Yokohama at the end of November. Sozan Koshin-shu 艸山孝心集 , Tokyo: Herarudosha, 1939, 104 pages. Tabimakura Dairoku-shuたびまくら 第六集, Tokyo: Herarudosha, 1939, 158 pages.Referred to as "repatriation ship" in "State and Religion in Masahuru Anesaki", Chapter 5, of Religious Discourse in Modern Japan
DEUTSCHLAND CRUISING WITHOUT ENSIGNIA TOKIO, Saturday.— German " battleship" Deutschland circled Japanese liner Hakone Maru for over an mid-Atlantic, declared Admiral Osumi, passenger on liner, in interview. Warship was not flying an ensignia.
Source: Grimsby Daily Telegraph - Saturday 02 December 1939, p.4. [error?]The Korean dancer Choi Seung-hee was also evacuated (from Marseilles) in September 1939 while she was on a foreign tour. There had been some dispute about which ship, but it was the Hakone Maru. The Korean article quotes Capt. Fujita autobiography: "In this voyage, Masaharu Anezaki (religious scholar), Yasuka Kusama (pianist), Seunghee Choi (dancer), Ken Yanagisawa (diplomats, poets) were also on board for return."
Interestingly, she then toured US and other countries before returning. More from the Trail of Choi Seung-hee:
The next day, the Dong-A Ilbo (October 25) released a more detailed report. "Mr. Choi Seung-hee, a world-class dancer with better Koreans ... arrived at the New York pier at 9 am on the 21st as a Japanese first full-time standing with 1,90 refugees from the European War....However, Choi Seung-hee left Europe and seized a new opportunity on the Hakone Maru ship to New York. The box office, which canceled the contract in the previous year, contacted again and resumed the North American performance. Choi Seung-hee, who made use of his European experience, led the North American performance to a success, which immediately led to the South American performance.
The time when Choi Seung-hee gave up his European performance and returned to New York was the time when he made a breakthrough in his world tour. In 1938, the American performance was interrupted due to a dispute over Japan, and the European performance was cut in half due to the war in 1939, but Choi Seung-hee did not bend. He set out in search of a new stage and showed off Joseon dance wherever he could go, as he had opportunities and strength.
From 출처 : 후아이엠(http://www.whoim.kr)
"Seunghee Choi escaped from Europe on the '3rd Refuge Ship' and 'Hakone Maru' in Marseille, France. Hakonemaru left Naples on September 17, 1939, picked up Seung-hee Choi in Marseille on September 19, and arrived in New York on December 21, via Casablanca, Gibraltar and Liverpool. "
Notes:
For detailed account of the hurricane that affected the SS. President Harding, see the Baltimore Sun of October 21. See also Shipwreck site. Ship does not have Wikipedia article.
GERMANY'S "TOTAL BLOCKADE" IGNORED. JAPANESE SEEK SAFE PERMIT FOR LINERS.
Japan is understood to be approachingGermany with a request for the safe passageof four Japanese liners evacuating Japanese subjects from Britain. Despite Germany's "total blockade" of the British Isles, three vessels, the Hakoma(?) Maru, the Hakone Maru, and the Fushin? Maru, are speeding to Lisbon, and if possible, to Liverpool to assist in the evacuation.
Another Japanese liner, the Suwa Maru arrived at Liverpool yesterday Japanese evacuees.
Source: Nottingham Evening Post - Tuesday 20 August 1940, p. 6.JAPANESE SHIPS "STAND BY"
Tokio, Sunday. Japanese ships will avoid German ports until further orders, states the "Hochi Shimbun" to-day. All cargoes for German ports will be unloaded at neutral ports, the paper adds. It is understood here that Japanese shipping companies will continue transporting cargoes to Europe, having taken out special war insurance policies. The Japanese liners Kashima Maru, Hakone Maru and Noto Maru have been ordered to stand by in Bordeaux, Athens and Colombo respectively.—Reuter.
Source: Aberdeen Press and Journal - Monday 04 September 1939, p.8.JAPANESE SHIPS AVOID ENGLAND LISBON
Tuesday. The Japanese ships Hakone Maru and Hakosaki Mam, which were on their way to England, were ordered to enter Lisbon harbour and land their cargo and passengers.—Exchange.
Source: Liverpool Echo - Tuesday 10 September 1940, p. 5.
Evacuating Asia
Evacuating Asia
Eighty Japanese women and children evacuees from Singapore and eight from Hong Kong and Manila arrived at Kobe yesterday in the liner Hakone Maru —Reuter
Source: Northern Whig - Tuesday 11 March 1941, p. 1.An Australian intelligence summary reports that the ship had been detained in Bombay on August 20, 1941 but
was released and left with about 60 evacuated Japanese for Singapore where she was to embark an additional 104 Japanese for Japan. This vessel was later reported to have been detained at Singapore pending assurance for the reciprocal treatment of British subjects to be evacuated from Japanese territory. Latest reports state that the vessel was allowed to sail yesterday 21st Sept.
From US Defense reports, "The Foreign Minister advised the Japanese Consul at Manila on September 26, 1941 that the Hakone Maru would soon call at Manila and Davao. The Foreign Office was to be advised of the number of Japanese withdrawing from that district as well as other details of the evacuation." and that "an agreement with Ambassador Robert Craigie in Tokyo, safe transit for the Hakone Maru, sailing through the Persian Gulf en route to Bombay, was assured. In exchange, English ships, sent to Japan and China for the evacuation of British and Allied nationals, were granted similar facilities."
EVACUEES ARRIVE Tokyo. Wednesday.—Fifty-five Japanese evacuees from Davao. Manila. have arrived at Yokohama from Kobe on board the N Y.K. liner Hakone Maru (10.420 tons) says a Domei agency.
Source: Shields Daily News - Wednesday 26 November 1941
Other Sources:
"Evacuation of Japanese nationals from Iran and Iraq : facilities for S.S . "Hakone Maru" ; British subjects evacuated from Japan " British Foreign Office
Evacuation?
Sabure Kurusu her name (maiden) was Alice Jay Little. Paper wrong about children (daughter and son)? https://www.nytimes.com/1973/05/12/archives/mrs-alice-kurusu.html; also she was American, not European
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