ATIS Interrogation Report No. 60 ~ No. 573

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CONTENTS

* Interrogation Report No. 60      _ Japanese POW   (Rabaul, 1943.4.17)

* Interrogation Report No. 63      _ Japanese POW   (Rabaul, 1943.4.19)

* Interrogation Report No. 78      _ Japanese POW  (Rabaul, 1943.5.15)

* Interrogation Report No. 94      _ Japanese POW   (1943.6.15)

* Interrogation Report No. 104    _ Japanese POW  (1943.6.27)

* Interrogation Report No. 573    _ Japanese POW   (Manila, 1945.1.23)

Copies of original reports preserved at NARA are available at here

Below are copies from

“WAR TIME MILITARY RECORDS ON COMFORT WOMEN”

(Compilation of U.S./Allied/Dutch/Japanese Military Records)

[by Archie Miyamoto, Lt Col, U.S. Army, Retired, February, 2016].

* ATIS Interrogation Report No. 60, dated 17 Apr 1943.

(1) Subject is Japanese soldier rescued from the sea off New Guinea coast by US Navy Patrol Boat.

 (2) Subject stated:  “There were approximately 20 brothels in

RABAUL, KOKOPO area and the remainder were in the town. Inmates were all

Japanese women”

(3). Subject made an interesting comment about attitude:

 “PW did not believe ant-British feeling existed in Japan. In fact, foreigners in Japan had the sympathy of the Japanese because they could not return to their own countries “He did not believe that natives of occupied territories should be treated as equals to the Japanese. Owing to the Rescript of the Emperor MEIJI,  natives, although not on the same footing as the Japanese, were not made slaves and were well treated.”

* ATIS Interrogation Report No. 63,  dated 19 Apr 1943.

 (1). Subject is a Japanese soldier, corporal, captured by Australian

 troops.

 (2). PW had heard that: “…there were brothels in RABAUL and

 believed they were run by civilians…. The women in them were ‘played out’ Japanese.”

* ATIS Interrogation Report No. 78, dated 15 May 1943.

 (1) Subject is a Japanese officer PW, 2/Lt, captured Trobriands,

 after ship sunk and he made it to shore.

(2) Subject “persisted in his statement that Japan was treating natives of occupied countries as equals….”

(3) PW stated that he had heard there were Naval brothels in

 RABAUL staffed by Japanese girls. These were professionals from Japan.

* ATIS Interrogation Report No. 94. dated 15 Jun 1943.

(1) Subject is a medical captain, captured after making it to shore, New Guinea. In addition to reference to brothels, he comments on the attitude of the Japanese army towards locals.

(2).”PW believed the natives of occupied countries should be and were being treated as equals. PW insisted that the Army did not run brothels but merely supervised those run by civilians under an arrangement whereby supervision began with the war and ended immediately after cessation of hostilities In no case were natives enslaved or restricted in any way. He had not read the Rescript of MEIJI (Emperor Meiji) regarding treatment of prisoners of war and natives, but thought it was being followed.”

* ATIS Interrogation Report No. 104, dated 27 Jun 43.

(1) Subject is a Japanese Army Sgt, captured in lifeboat, Trobriand.

(2) “Tojo had been forced to declare war when the Nomura and Kurusu missions failed. These Japanese representatives had tried to get the USA to sell materials but had been refused…. Foreigners all seemed to have the idea that Japan was a warlike country but the opposite was true. She is poor and could not exist unless England and US traded with her…. ‘

(3) “Although brothels were provided by the Army, there was only one woman to 2,000 troops, consequently only officers were accommodated.”

* ATIS Interrogation Report No. 577, dated 23 Jan 45.

 (1). Subject is Japanese Army Air Force PFC, rescued from sea by

US Navy near MOEMI. This is interesting in that unauthorized brothels operated by locals charged considerably more than authorized brothels.  

(2) “Girls at civilian houses were usually half caste Spanish-Filipinos and prices Yen 10-20. Those at Army controlled houses were Yen 2-3 with Japanese and Korean girls. Brothels in PI – Manila. Some were under Army jurisdiction. Others run by civilians were out of bounds, and MPs who tried to keep soldiers away, frequented these places themselves. Despite the differences in prices civilian houses were more popular, as they were less crowded.”