Title: "Japanese May Hold Lease, Says Court," Seattle Times, 11/5/1925, (ddr-densho-56-399)
Densho ID: ddr-densho-56-399

Japanese May Hold Lease, Says Court

The state Supreme Court today affirmed the King County Superior Court in dismissing an action brought by the state to escheat a leasehold on six and one-half acres of farm land in King County, the lease being held in Cecil Natsuhara and O. Maekawa, both Japanese.

The case involved the antialien land law passed by the Legislature in 1921 and differed from recent cases determined under the same act in that the validity of a lease in force prior to enactment of the law was brought into question, court records show. The lease was made in August, 1916, for a period of ten years, and will expire December 31, 1926.

The courts held that the law could not be construed to affect valid leases with aliens for a reasonable length of time, prior to enactment of the law.