August 23, 1942

SUBJECT: Separation of Kibei from Nisei
TO: Chief of Staff, U.S. Army, War Department

1. Substantial numbers of persons of Japanese ancestry born in the United States have been educated and indoctrinated in Japan during their formative years. While the Japanese word "Kibei" includes any Japanese who has returned to Japan from another country, as used in this letter it is intended to designate that group of American-born Japanese who fall in the class described in the first sentence hereof.

2. The evacuation of all persons of Japanese ancestry from the Pacific Coast (the west half of Washington and Oregon, all of California and the south half of Arizona) has brought approximately 110,000 persons of Japanese ancestry under federal supervision. Of these approximately 70,000 remain in Army hands and 40,000 have been transferred by the Army to War Relocation Authority, an independent civilian agency. There are approximately 127,000 persons of Japanese ancestry in the United States. This means that roughly 17,000 (exclusive of the relatively few in internment camps and in the Army) are not under direct supervision. An estimate based on an examination of the San Pedro (Los Angeles) Port of Entry figures, showing the traffic of Japanese persons in and out of that port, indicates that between one-third and one-quarter of all American-born Japanese fall within the Kibei classification. American-born Japanese number approximately two-thirds of the total Japanese in the United States. This means there are nearly 85,000 American-born, and of these between 20,000 and 30,000 are Kibei. Establishing the proportion of the total Japanese both in and out of direct supervision, the conclusion is reached that roughly one-fifth of the Kibei are not under federal supervision. In summary then, based on available figures, there are between 20,000 and 30,000 Kibei in the United States. Of these, on the basis of the roughest estimate, between 4,000 and 6,000 are not under supervision.

3. Most American-born Japanese are dual citizens. It is legally possible for a dual citizen to forfeit one of the two citizenships he possesses by action showing an election. American-born Japanese who fall within the Kibei classification have, by their action, indicated an intention to bear allegiance to the emperor of Japan. If this proposition can be established, the persons within this classification become enemy aliens, subject to internment.

4. The co-mingling of Kibei indoctrinated in Japan with Nisei is dangerous and tends further to alienate all Nisei by constant exposure to Japanese indoctrination. The presence of substantial numbers of Kibei at large in the interior is a danger to national security. Their presence also renders less tenable the position of Nisei, among whom are doubtless large numbers with a strong desire to be loyal and to demonstrate their loyalty.

5. It is believed feasible to segregate Kibei from Nisei on the basis of the definition indicated in the opening paragraph of this letter, through the following means:

a. A survey of Immigration and Naturalization Service Port of Entry records, to determine the identity, age and length of stay in Japan of all American-born persons who have been to Japan and returned to the United States. This would be a clerical task.

b. The use of information obtainable from cooperative Nisei, such information to be applied to the list developed by the survey proposed above. To accomplish this would require the cooperation of War Relocation Authority, into whose custody the Army will have transferred, by October 31, 1942, the remaining Japanese evacuees now in its hands.

6. Accordingly, I recommend that the War Department direct the accomplishment of a project designed to accomplish:

a. Determination of the identity of Kibei through use of appropriate methods along the lines herein suggested.

b. The separation of all such Kibei under federal supervision from Nisei.

c. The forfeiture through appropriate legal processes or means of the U.S. citizenship of all such Kibei, to be undertaken in collaboration with the Department of Justice, and their internment for the duration of the war with a view to their repatriation as rapidly as opportunity affords. The proposal to intern would embrace all Kibei, whether or not presently under federal supervision.

/s/ J.L. DeWITT
Lieutenant General, U.S. Army
Commanding