American-Born Japanese Loyal, Editor Asserts

JAMES Y. SAKAMOTO

His people are 'on the spot'

American-born Japanese "will remain unswervingly loyal to the United States." James Y. Sakamoto, leaders of the second-generation group in Seattle, said last night.

Sakamoto, blind editor of The Japanese-American Courier, added that the 8,000 American-born Japanese in the state will be the "first to uncover any saboteurs" among pro-Japanese elements.

Hysteria Expected

"But don't look for any undue violence against us," Sakamoto said. "There may be a little hysteria--an occasional outburst up and down the Coast. But I have a long of confidence in American fair play. Americans are fair in the underdog. And the American-born Japanese are in that spot now."

Sakamoto helped organize the Japanese-American Citizens' League in Seattle in 1930.

The league issued a statement last night to President Roosevelt, pledging allegiance to the United States. The pledge was made "without any reservation whatsoever," Sakamoto said.

The league was founded here with nine chapters and less than 1,000 members. It now has fifty-four chapters and 15,000 members throughout the United States, with the largest chapters on the Pacific Coast.

The editor estimated there are about 6,000 Japanese aliens in the state. Most of them, although born in Japan, have spent half their lives in the United States, he said. Under immigration laws applying to Orientals, they cannot become citizens. Children born to them in this country, however, are American citizens.

Loyalty to U.S. Urged

The Courier, in its Thursday edition this week, will call for Japanese in America to remain loyal to the United States, Sakamoto said.

"We also will ask this nation to prosecute the war to the earliest possible victory.

"The main thing is national unity and we will ask the Japanese to do their part by remaining loyal and calm and doing everything they can to help win this war for the United States."