FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

Case originated at: San Francisco		File No. 100-4657
Report made at: SAN FRANCISCO	Date made: 7/3/41	Period: 2/20,25;3/19,21;5/3,13,21/41	Report made by: XXXXX
Title: ZAIBEI NIHONJIN HEIYAKU GIMUSHA KAI, also known as ZAIBEI NIHONJIN HEIMUSHA KAI, also known as HOKUBEI HEIEKI GIMUSHA KAI, also known as HEIMUSHA KAI, and ZAIBEI HEIMUSHA KAI (Association of Japanese in America obligated to Military Duty; also known as Japanese People Residing in America Military Affairs Association.)			Character: INTERNAL SECURITY (J)
Synopsis: Subject association is not required to register with Secretary of State as agent of a foreign country. XXX-7 lines-XXX. From the standpoint of membership this is probably the largest Japanese organization in this territory at the present time. It is reported the organization frequently changes its name for fear that the American public will be more apt to misconstrue the name HEIYAKU GIMUSHA KAI, than they will the names they are adopting. -P-
DETAILS: This investigation is predicated upon information set forth in the closing report of Special Agent XXXXX, San Francisco, dated 2/10/40 entitled XXXXX ZAIBEI NIHONJIN HEIYAKU GIMUSHA KAI, also known as ZAIBEI NIHONJIN HEIMUSHA KAI, also known as HOKUBEI HEIEKI GIMUSHA KAI, also known as HEIMUSHA KAI, and ZAIBEI HEIMUSHA KAI (Association of Japanese in America obligated to Military Duty; [continued below]
Approved: (signed) N. J. L. Pieper? SAC	97-1160-8	INDEXED JULY 22 1941
Copies:
5-Bureau 1-Los Angeles (Inf) 1-Honolulu (Inf) 1-Salt Lake City (Inf) 1-Denver (Inf) 1-Portland (Inf)	1-Seattle (Inf) 1-Butte (Inf) 1-San Diego (Inf) 2-ONI, San Francisco 1-G-2, San Fran. 3-San Francisco	JUL 14 1941	COPIES DESTROYED APR 6 1961
1 cc XXXXX 8/25/41 1 cc ONI & G-2 8/25/41

also known as Japanese People Residing in America Military Affairs Association.)

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XXXXX summarized Subject organization as follows, by report dated 2/17/41:

This organization is located at 1783 Sutter Street, San Francisco, California, Phone WAlnut 2157 and WAlnut 3232. It is a North American organization of Japanese who are eligible for military service in Japan. The purpose of the organization is to act as a central agency to receive contributions for the Japanese Army and Navy war relief fund from member organizations throughout the United States. However, the relationship between the headquarters and the various member organizations does not appear to be particularly strong, and it has been noted that some of the member organizations send their contributions either directly to Japan or through the Japanese Consulate General in San Francisco. There are two types of membership in this organization, namely, "regular", and "associate". However, all the members contribute at least $1.00 monthly. Members are required to each year to apply through the Japanese Association for an extension of time relative to their military conscription. This is only a formality for the reason that their residence in the United States is sufficient to disqualify them for conscription.

There are approximately 50 branches of this organization throughout the 12th Naval District. From the standpoint of membership, this is probably the largest organization in the 12th Naval District at the present time.

The following societies are either branches of this organization, or at least follow the same procedure so far as the collection of money for the Japanese war relief fund. Some of these branches are as follows:

THE 20-40 CLUB, which had branches in Fresno, Reedley, and Del Rey, California. The Fresno branch was recently disbanded and was recently re-organized under the name of "KYUGO KAI", which in this instance means "Relief Association".

THE KYUGO KAI, in this instance this means the "9-5 Association" or "Imperial Reservists Association". It has several branches, one of which is located at 82 Merchant Street, Watsonville, Calif.

THE HUMANITY SOCIETY - One of the branches which is located at Woodland, California.

THE SHINSHU SOCIETY, Berkeley, California - This apparently is a very strong organization, having announced on January 21, 1941 the collection of $2,234.25 for the Japanese War relief.

THE HOSHI KAI (Service Association) - This is the name used by several branches, one of which is located in Watsonville, Calif.

THE SAKURA KAI, or Cherry Association, 1309½ Fourth Street, Sacramento, California - This name has been adopted by two or three other chapters throughout California. The original SAKURA KAI, which should not be confused with the present organization, was also a very nationalistic group composed of ex-service men of the Russo-Japanese War.

THE SEKIEKI KAI (Sincerity Association), Mt. Eden, California - This is also a very strong branch, having 28 members in Mt. Eden, 35 in San Lorenzo, 21 in Ashland, and 18 in Hayward, California. This branch recently announced the collection to date of a total of $3,624.50 for the Japanese War Relief, up to and including June 4, 1941.

HOKOKU KAI (Patriotic Association) - This title literally translated means "Service to one's country". It is a new name which has been adopted by two or three branches located in smaller Japanese communities in Northern California. It has been mentioned in the Japanese Press but no addresses of the branch organizations are presently available.

KOKEA [KOKKA?] KAI (National Flower Association), 547 North Sixth Street, San Jose, California, Telephone Columbia 838-J - This is actually a Japanese Reservists Association, also composed of Japanese who are liable to military conscription in Japan. Its functions are the same as the HEIEKI GIMUSHA KAI. Although listed in the 1940 Directory, this organization was not listed in the 1941 Japanese directories, but it is believed to be still active.

ISSHIN KAI (One Spirit Society), 44 South El Dorado St., Stockton, California, telephone 2-4381 - This particular branch formerly used the name HEIEKI GIMUSHA KAI, but was changed to ISSHIN KAI on February 2, 1941. An announcement in the press on February 2, 1941 indicated that since its inception in Stockton in 1938 this particular branch has contributed the total of $16,884.11 to the Japanese War Relief.

THE WAKABA KAI (Green Leaf Society), 2161 Pacific Ave., Alameda, Calif., Telephone Lakehurst 2-3339 - This name was adopted by the Alameda HEIEKI GIMUSHA KAI on February 4, 1941.

The above names are all that have come to my attention to date, but it is expected that most of the HEIEKI GIMUSHA KAI branches are contemplating changing their names. The reason for this change appears to be a fear on the part of the Japanese that the American Public are more apt to misconstrue the name HEIEKI GIMUSHA KAI than they will the more innocuous names that are being adopted. However, it still remains an organization of these persons who are eligible to military conscription and the purpose of collecting money for the Japanese war relief is still effective.

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XXXXX by report received in this office May 3, 1941, stated that XXXXX of the San Francisco Heieki Gimusha Kai, announced on April 16, 1941 that motion pictures which the Heieki Gimusha Kai had sponsored and shown at the Hongwanji Hall on April 12 and 13, 1941 had netted $1200, all of which would be donated to the Japanese War Relief Fund.

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It will be noted from Bureau letter dated May 31, 1940, entitled XXXXX, ET AL-REGISTRATION ACT- AGENTS OF FOREIGN PRINCIPALS, that the Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Denver, Butte, Honolulu, and San Diego Field Offices received two copies of the photographs of badge and container for badge of the Zaibei Nihonjin Heiyaku Gimusha Kai, and that negatives of these photographs are retained in the Bureau files.


THE SAN FRANCISCO FIELD OFFICE
AT SAN FRANCISCO

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